Trapped In Darkness
by Nadja Lee
Summary: As the X-men are captured and taken as slaves will they survive and at what cost? Chapter 32, final chapter, is up. FINISHED
1. Intro to 'Trapped In Darkness'

Trapped In Darkness

Trapped In Darkness

By Nadja Lee

English is not my native language. Please forgive me my mistakes.

Disclaimer: "X-men" and all the characters here belong to Marvel , 20 Century Fox and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.

Only the original idea contained within this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any website or archive without permission of the author.

Disclaimer:The song Remy sings in part 6 is "I lay my love on you" by Westlife and they belong to themselves, Ronan Keating as their manager and their label company and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.

Disclaimer:The song in part 29 is "Amazing Grace" by John Newton and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.

Only the original idea contained within this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any website or archive without permission of the author.

Timeline: Set after the movie

Universe: Set in the movie universe. Only the movie NOT the book that goes with it! Contains elements from the comic books.

Pairing: Scott/Jean, Logan/Rogue, Peter/Kitty, Bobby/Jubilee, others

Summary: As the X-men are captured and taken as slaves will they survive and at what cost?

Archiving: Want, ASK, take, have.

Feedback: Yes, please. It would mean so much to me.

Rating: R for whole story. Often PG or PG-13 for different parts.

Warning 1: Character death!

Warning 2: This story deals with rape, violence, torture, sex and muchmore. I don't think people under the age of 18 should read this.

Note: Black Thunder is my own creation but I was inspired by several X-men. 

Note 2: This story has a kind of sequel which is much lighter in tone. It's "Christmas Of Tomorrow"

Dedicated to: The author of the story "X-MEN: FRIENDS OF HUMANITY" which inspired me to write this story. I recommend you reading this story at [http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/6257/Xmen1.htm][1]

It is a great story, a classic I would dare to say. Note that it is novel length, contain a lot of dark material like explicit sex and very graphic rape and torture scenes, much darker than this one, it is set in the comic universe and in her story Bobby Drake (Iceman) is gay.Also it is unfortunately not finished.

Thanks to Christina for the Beta and Marianne for the read through.****

*mmmm * is telepathically thoughts spoken in the mind. " mmmmm "is spoken out loud.

Prequel:

It had started out like any other mission. Trouble in town; mutants in danger, go save them…should have been easy. Should have been like a ton other missions. But it hadn't. It had been a trap and Scott had lead the others right into it. Gunshots, blood, pain, it all washed into one. They had been terribly outnumbered but by humans with guns. They could have killed them all; escaping. Scott himself could have just opened his eyes and blasted them all to kingdom come. But he hadn't. Xavier had been with them that time, which he rarely was but he had received a message from Magneto stating he was in trouble and needing his help. The message had of cause turned out to be false and Xavier had been captured with them. He had ordered his X-men to not hurt the humans, to surrender. The losses on both sides would be too great if they did fight. Logan and Remy especially had hated the idea and Scott wasn't too fond of it either but he didn't want others to get hurt or die and had followed up on Xavier's order. He had ordered surrender. Some of the humans had come to them and placed strange collars around their necks and they had all lost consciousness. Now people were slowly starting to wake up.

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/6257/Xmen1.htm



	2. Part 1: Waking Up

Part 1: 

Part 1: 

" Wake up, One-Eye," a harsh voice demanded and a hand slapped him hard on the cheek so his head flew to the side. Scott moaned, blinked…and saw colours. Quickly he closed his eyes again.

" It's alright, Slim. These collars prevents us from using our powers," Logan's voice said and Scott carefully opened his eyes again, turning his head away from the source of Logan's voice so not to hurt him should he be mistaken. 

" Where are we?" Scott asked weakly as he sat up. They were in a big room with metal walls, a visible force shield separated their room from a hallway. In the distance Scott could hear screams of pain and laughter and the sounds sickened him. Jean, Ororo, Rogue, Kitty, Peter, Remy, Jubilee, Bobby, John and Xavier where all in the room, lying on the floor or against walls expect Rogue who lay on the only bed in the room. A small door lead to another room.

" The bathroom," Logan said as he followed the other man's gaze. Scott got to his feet and found Jean, her eyes closed, bruises and cuts covering her body from their battle, leaning against the back wall. Scott kneeled next to her and felt her pulse. It was strong and he sighed in relief. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead and went over to the force shield.

" No use. I hav` tried," Logan said and showed Scott his bloody hands and Scott flinched but still backed a little away from the shield only to throw himself against it. He was thrown back and hit the back wall, falling down on the floor next to Jean.

" Told you," Logan said simply while he again checked Rogue who he had put on the only bed in the room as he had been the first to wake. She was still out of it and a part of him was glad. During their battle she had been forced to absorb a lot of the humans from the anti-mutant organisation which called themselves Friends Of Humanity (FOH) to defend herself and her team-mates. Logan had done everything in his power to prevent this but they had been too outnumbered for him to protect her properly. He hoped her mind hadn't been permanently damaged by the people whose minds she had stolen. Hopefully the collars which prevented them from using their mutant powers would also prevent the other peoples minds from invading hers. 

" Yeah," Scott simply said as he painfully got up. Logan eyed him closely as he threw himself at the force shield again, apparently having calculated that spot in the field to be the weakest. He seemed as a man possessed, needing to get out. Logan understood that. He shared many treads with his namesakes, the Wolverines, and hated being locked up more than anything but he had been beating on that damn force shield for hours without any luck. He'll have to admit that he couldn't break it down and when he with his surgically strengthening skeletal couldn't break through Scott had no chance. Without a word he went to Scott and threw himself at the force shield with him. After almost a half hour where Scott had been fighting with the force shield and lost; his hands as bloody as Logan's and blood running down his face from a small cut in his face, Logan lay a hand on the other man's shoulder.

" We can't get through," for Logan the words were surprisingly gentle spoken.

" I wouldn't accept that! We just have to try harder," Scott said and shook Logan´s hand off him and got ready to throw himself at the force field for what seemed like the 1000th time.

" Look, One-Eye. I aren't kidding you. We can't get through. What makes you this stubborn now, anyway? You're the one who told us to surrender in the first place," Logan growled and grabbed Scott's torn shirt and drew him closer, fury and murder in his eyes. He would never forgive him for that. Never.

" Do you think I wanted to? We had no choice. We were horribly outnumbered," Scott almost yelled but Logan could hear the pain and doubt behind his words but he was too angry to care.

" You brought us here. Brought Rogue in danger," Logan yelled and hit him in the face, watching Scott's head fly to the side, his cheek still red from when Logan had tried to wake him up earlier. Without thinking Logan hit him again and blood ran from Scott's nose as he heard bone break. Scott made a swing at him, his bloody fist colliding with Logan`s face. Logan hit Scott again, this time sending the other man to the ground. Scott put a hand to his side and a moan of pain escaped his lips and Logan got concerned despite his anger. He hadn't meant to damage Scott like that. If nothing else Jean`ll kill him.

" You alright?" Logan asked as he kneeled beside him.

" Yeah," Scott whispered hoarsely, his face pale. Logan took hold of his right hand, which covered his side and forcefully removed it. It came away sticking with blood.

" Why the hell didn't you say you had been injured in the battle?" Logan complained and took his shirt off, tearing it to strips to make a bandage for Scott. 

" I'm…fine," Scott rasped but still let Logan look at the wound. It was deep and should be cleaned to prevent infection. It was from a gun.

" Do you know if the bullet is still inside?" Logan asked as he eyed the injury. It didn't look fatal but if it got infected or if he lost too much blood things could get ugly.

" It…is," Scott answered as he closed his eyes shut against the pain. Logan searched in his memories of the battle to figure out when Scott could have been shot. It didn't seem too logical as Scott's powers allowed him to shot from a safe distance. Then he remembered.

" You took this bullet for Jean, didn't you?" Logan bummed, talking more to try and keep Scott focused than anything else.

" Yeah," Scott got out before clashing his teeth tightly together to keep from screaming. The pain from being slammed into the back wall repeatedly by the force shield didn't help either.

" Are you two alright?" A gently voice asked as Ororo kneeled next to Logan and saw Scott's wound.

" Finally awake, hey?" Logan asked as he let Ororo see Scott's wound.

" We'll have to remove the bullet," Ororo stated as she had looked at the wound more intensely.

" Oro….You…ok?" Scott asked weakly as his strength was leaving him.

" No permanent damage," Ororo simply answered. She saw something and walked over till one of the sidewalls and next to an unconscious Remy she picked up a small stick. She kneed next to Scott and put it in front of his mouth.

" Bite on this so not to bite off your tongue." 

Scott opened his mouth and bit into the stick, desperately trying to hold the fear away. He had felt pain before but always hated this waiting.

" Logan, hold him down," Ororo commanded and Logan nodded and pinched Scott's hands to the ground. Ororo let a finger run over Scott's wound and then looked Scott in the eyes which she could now see. They were actually quite beautiful, a rich blue colour like a summer day. Under other circumstances she would have been very happy for him that he could see properly but she didn't have time for that and neither did he. Scott nodded to her and braced himself. Ororo let her right hand disappear into his side, searching for the bullet and Scott stiffened and choked a scream as Ororo searched inside him. She tried to be gentle but it wasn't easy. Finally her fingers brushed something she could identify as the bullet and dragged it out while Scott bit into the stick, his screams muffled by it.

" Got it!" Ororo proclaimed triumphantly as she held up the small bullet for both men to see before putting it on the ground. " He needs stitches." 

" Unless you always carry your needle work with you Ah can't see how, mon ami," a new voice said as Remy had awoken.

" This will have to do," Logan said and let go of Scott and Ororo stroked the hair away from Scott's sweat covered brow and tried to remove the stick in his mouth but Scott had bit so hard into it that she had to use all her strength to get it free. 

" You alright, Scott?" she asked worried as he lay very still for a while, his eyes closed.

" He has passed out," Logan said as he had checked the younger man's pulse.

" Have you checked the others for injuries?" Ororo asked as she stood again, her compose as regal as ever but her eyes held a hunted look that would probably never leave.

" I was a …bit angry when I awoke so no," Logan admitted.

" The Cajun goes check," Remy said as he went over to his team-mates. He first went to Rogue, taking her pulse through her glove. Something in his eyes disturbed Logan and he walked over and took Rogue's hand into his and away from Remy.

" Marie is fine. I checked her," Logan growled. After waking it had been the first thing he had done and then placed her on the only bed.

" Over here. Peter seems to have broken his arm," Ororo called as she sat next to him. Even unconscious he hadn't let go of Kitty's right hand with his left one and his body lay as a shield in front of her as he had always stood in front of her in all the time they had known each other. Ororo knew that Peter's mutant power of turning his body into steel often made him stand as a shield in front of his lover as he also had today. Logan reluctantly let go of Rogue's hand but placed it gently over her chest. He shot Remy a warning look.

" Check the others," he growled and went to Ororo. He kneeled by Peter's side and checked his arm.

" It isn't broken just dislocated," Logan said as he moved Peter's arm up and down.

" Well, what do I know? I am not the doctor around here," Ororo shoot back, the fear of what was to happen next giving them all a short fuse.

" Ok, ok. Hold him down in case he wakes up while I put this back in place." 

Logan took a good hold on Peter's dislocated arm and Storm turned the unconscious student on the side, holding him down. Logan looked to Ororo.

" Go," she said and held him down. _Please don't let him wake, she prayed to any God who would listen. Logan took a good grip on Peter's arm and with a crack it fell into place._

" Auuuuuuuu," Peter screamed and tried to sit up but Ororo managed to hold him down until Logan drew back from him and she let him up. He looked around and rubbed his now located arm and mumbled a rain of Russian curses. He turned to Kitty and stroked some hair out from her eyes and checked her for injuries. Satisfied that she was alright for now he turned back to his team-mates.

" Thanks, Tovarisch," Peter said softly and eyed their surroundings.

" Could be worse," Bobby said as he rubbed his neck and sat up. 

" I don't see how," Logan growled.


	3. Part 2: What now?

Part 2:

Part 2:

" Oh," Scott uttered as he weakly sat up.

" About time you decided to join the living, love," Jean said softly and helped him sit up more comfortably.

" Jean! You alright?" Scott asked concerned and gently stroked her cheek.

" Am I alright? I'm not the one who was shot," Jean answered, light amusement in her voice masking the gratitude and worry.

" We need to find out where to go from here," Xavier said from his position on the floor next to the back wall and smiled warmly at Scott, glad he was alright.

" Are you alright, Sir?" Scott asked Xavier concerned and eyed him up and down. He looked alright. He looked at the others. Rogue sat on Logan´s lap, hiding her face by his shoulder but looked alright. John sat off to one side, his left arm in a home made sling, Jean's bare stomach telling that a part of her blouse had been used for the sling. Remy sat next to John, looking thoughtful. Peter sat with his left hand holding Kitty's, her head on his shoulder while he talked words of comfort, half of them in Russian. Jubilee had her right leg in yet another attempt of a splint. Next to her sat Bobby who rolled his eyes at Jubilee who complained loudly over just about everything. Ororo sat next to Xavier and looked as regal and calm as ever.

" I'm fine, Scott but we need to have a plan," Xavier said mildly.

" I know," Scott agreed and pained tried to stand but had to give it up and instead pressed Jean a little closer to him.

" I have a plan. Let's kill `em all," Logan growled as he continued to stroke Rogue's hair.

" How are you gonna do that with them out there and us in here?" John wanted to know.

" And we don't have our powers AND we're hopelessly outnumbered," Jubilee agreed.

"Quiet," Scott demanded and silence followed. " Our first mission is to try and find a way out of this prison. Our second is to try and remove these collars," Scott let a hand run over his collar. " Ororo, Jean, John, the professor and me tries to figure these collars out. The rest of you investigate the cell," he saw their looks and added " I know we have all searched for a way out but then do so again and again. There has to be a way out of here." 

The others nodded and began to investigate the walls and the forcefield yet again.

" Hey, Cyke. You seemed to think this field had a weak point. Where?" Logan asked as he stood by the forcefield, Rogue to his right.

" In front of you, to your left." 

Logan moved in the given direction and pointed to a point in the shield. 

" There?"

" Yes," Scott answered before turning to look at Ororo. " You were a thief before Xavier found you in Africa and after that thought a Goddess. If we could find something for you to work with could you pick a lock?"

" I don't know but I will try," Ororo answered honestly. Scott nodded. They needed something small, something…

" Kitty, you usually wear hairpins. Do you also do so now?"

" Yes," she answered confused and took a hand up to her hair.

" Give it to Ororo," Scott commanded and Kitty did as bid and Ororo moved closer to Scott to work on his collar.

" No, undo your own, Jean's or the professor's. I'm weak and will not do you the most good in a fight," Scott explained as he drew back.

" Alright," Ororo agreed, seeing his logic and turned to the Professor. He was the world's strongest telepath. Was he first freed he could easily free the others and the…house? Wherever they where would be theirs for the taking.

" Jean, let me see your collar," Scott asked and Jean held her red hair back, blotting her neck for him to see and leaned against him.

" Do you know what it is?" John asked and he tore at his to no avail.

" It seems to send signals to our brain. It paralyses the area of our brain which controls and admits our mutant powers. We have to get them off in order to use our powers," Scott explained as he let a hand run over Jean's collar, calculating the mathematics behind it in his brain but without his natural mutant ability in this field to support him things which used to be so simple for him were difficult and blurry. He also found his thoughts wondering. Thinking of all the wonderful colours he saw, how beautiful Jean looked now as he saw her really for the first time and the pain in his side made it hard to concentrate.

" Maybe we could try and tear the toilet apart," Bobby wondered out loud.

" Then what? Down the drain?" Jubilee asked sarcastically as she sat by the wall to the bathroom, looking in since her broken leg didn't allow her to do much walking.

" At least I thought of something," Bobby gave back, a little wounded.

" Quit it you two and work together. We have enough on our minds without fighting among ourselves," Scott said from the big room. The rooms were very small so it was impossible to not overhear everything. Even Rogue and Logan´s debate seemed very loud in the room even though they whispered and all pretended they didn't hear.

" This may be our only chance. Our powers don't work. Don't you see? We don't know what might happen next," Rogue argued as she uselessly hammered with her fits at the force shield.

" Will you stop that?" Logan bummed annoyed and took her hands in his for a while to stop her battling. Her hands were already blooded.

" Logan…" Rogue began, looking up at him with tears in her green eyes. 

" Lov`, I don't want your... and our first time to be like this. In the small bathroom as it can't be here. I want it to be special," Logan whispered softly against her ear, aware that all could hear even over Bobby and Jubilee's fighting over which things to try and take apart in the bathroom.

" You don't understand....this may be our only chance," Rogue argued, her cheeks red from anger and the normal embarrassment any young girl feels about discussing THAT subject especially in a room filled with people.

" I know but you deserve better than this. We…I can wait. Forever, if I have to," Logan said and tried to take her in his arms but she avoided him and sat by the far wall, covering her face in her hands, crying.

" Jean…?" Scott asked and nodded to Rogue. He didn't like this tension which was building between them and neither of them needed more screams and cries to fill the air. The muffled cries of pain from further down the hall still hung in the air, giving them all the shivers and making them feel sick. Over the hours which most have passed since Scott woke up he had heard the word "No" cried out in pain so many times that he had come to hate the word with a vengeance.

" I'll go check on her," Jean said softly and left his side to go sit with Rogue, making him feel strangely alone and abandoned. The absence of their usual telepathic link didn't help either. 

" Ororo, how is it going?" Scott asked as he now began to look more closely at John's collar since Jean had left. Every door had a key so this device had to have one too. It annoyed Scott immensely that he couldn't find that key. There was a locking mechanism on the front of the collars but Scott couldn't figure out how to use that to his advantage.

" I think I may be on to something," Ororo answered as she moved Kitty's hairpin back and forth in the locking mechanism of Xavier's collar who sat still and let her work.

" Do you know what you are doing?" John asked as he eyed the white haired woman concentrate on her work.

" No, I don't but I have to do something," Ororo snapped and began to move her home-made lock pick more viciously up and down. Suddenly Ororo flew back and was knocked against the back wall.

" Ororo! You alright?" Scott asked concerned and held his hand out to her to help her up. He still sat on the floor as standing brought him pain but Ororo had landed so close to where he sat that he could reach out to her. She took his hand and got up.

" I'm…unhurt," Ororo uttered and went back and sat next to Xavier. 

" Stormy, you alright? Gambit got concerned," Remy said as he looked at her, seeing if she was alright.

" I'm fine, Remy. You just go back to what you were doing," Ororo said mildly and smiled at him and Remy went back to studying the walls for any weaknesses. He too had gotten a hairpin from Kitty and tried to dig into the walls weak points, between the metal plates. Ororo hadn't missed the longing looks he cast after Rogue in between his work. Ororo had found Remy as a small boy, living on the streets, picking pockets. She had been his mother, confident and only friend for many years. Remy was a mutant with the power to lit anything with kinetic energy and make it explode on impact. Besides that he also possessed what he called "charm power" which meant that he could have any woman, or actually anybody, fall in love with him for a short period of time should he choose to use it. Ororo admired her young friend that he had so much control that he hadn't used it on Rogue who he had fallen head over heels in love with as soon as he had first laid eyes on her but she was totally ignorant of his love, seeing only Logan. Ororo was sure that if Rogue knew how passionly Remy loved her she wouldn't be so quick to always talk about Logan with him or in front of him.

" Aha, I see we have all awaken. How nice. Then maybe we can get down to business," a man's voice said, sounding cold, hard and calculated and all turned to look at him through the forcefield.


	4. Part 3: You're all slaves

Part 3: 

Part 3:

" What the fuck do you want?" Logan growled and placed himself protectively in front of Rogue and pushed her a little away from the man's glance. He didn't like the look of lust in the man's guards eyes either.

" You have no right to hold us here. Release us. Now," Scott demanded and pained got to his feet as all the X-men able to had. With Bobby's support Jubilee had also gotten to her feet. Peter eased Kitty behind him and stood in front of her even though he couldn't take just one bullet for her anymore without going down. Jean went to stand next to Scott who had reached out for Xavier and the older man was now up, one arm around Ororo´s shoulder and other around Scott's as he stood only by their power and the power of his will and his arms.

" I'm sure this was just a misunderstanding and that we'll be released now, " Xavier said and eyed the man with a warning look. 

" In your dreams, mutant," one of the guards spat but the man who Scott was beginning to call leader in his mind, raised a hand and none said anything else. Normally Scott admired control but never in his opponents. A man one could get a raise out off was also one you could bring to lose his temper and thereby make mistakes.

" I'm very pleased that we succeeded in capturing so many of the legendary X-men, the best known mutant terrorist group in America. Who of you is the leader of this little band?" his glance swept over the group, taking in the men's protective compose and tried to find one who stuck out. The old man who had been in a wheelchair seemed to have some kind of power but it wasn't…right. His eyes fell on the mutant nearest to the forcefield, growling insults at his guards. Wolverine, the file said he was called. No, too uncontrolled. His eyes settled on the man standing in the middle, trying to not show the pain the wound in his side gave him. A red haired woman was next to him and he eased her behind him as he saw his glance. His compose was straight, in control…looking defiant and maybe even proud as he stood surrounded by his friends. Could be him. Only one way to be sure.

" Well? Who is it?" he repeated, looking around for an answer.

" We are not telling you anything, bub," the man nearest him, Wolverine, growled dangerously at him.

" You will find us very uncooperative," the man in the middle said, his voice carrying a final edge of steel. Yes, it definitely was him. However insolence and defiance could not be tolerated nor go unpunished.

" Maybe," he said as he took out a hand held devise and despite themselves the X-men tried to look at it; curious. " You didn't think that those collars were just fashion statements, did you? They are restrains as well as weapons. You see, you aren't in New York anymore. In fact you aren't even in the US. You are now on Genosha, a small island in the Pacific where we have our own mutant laws. Here mutants are slaves and that's what you are now too," a gasp of shock and disbelief ran through the X-men.

" You can't do this," several yelled at once.

" I'll kill you all," Logan said and so wished he could use his claws to cut them all to pieces.

" I'll kill you before this is over," Scott vowed calmly, murder in his eyes.

" I seriously doubt that. You're not ready to kill. Yet," the man stated calmly. He pushed a button on his control and Scott fell to the floor, screaming in agony and taking his hands to his head.

" Scott!" Jean yelled and kneeled by his side, trying to calm him down. " Stop, stop," she cried, tears coming to her eyes.

" Stop this at once," Xavier demanded.

" Release him," Logan growled.

" The first thing you will learn is that I decide everything. You can't demand anything of me. You aren't humans. You aren't even living beings. Here you're things to be bought and sold. Know now that any rebelling will be severely punished, the leaders tortured to death and all followers punished into obedience," he had to raise his voice over Scott's screams to make sure he was heard.

" I will ask one more time and it will be the last. Who is your leader?"

" I am," Xavier said and looked him in the eye.

" You lead this band into battle? I doubt it," he pushed a new button and Scott stopped his agonising screams and with Jean's help got up. She laid a hand on his shoulder but Scott wouldn't allow her to support him more than that. Showing weakness was only something to do if he could gain an advantage from it and it didn't look that way right now. 

" What…did you…do…to me?" Scott demanded to know.

" All the slaves here wear collars. They are connected to the mutants nervous system. A push on a button on this control panel which all owners, sellers and buyers have, will active the collar and generate pain. Really a marvellous invention."

" I'm sure so why don't you wear one?" Bobby asked dryly. Luckily for him the man ignored him and turned back to Scott.

" You friend here…" he nodded to Xavier " says he leads the X-men. Is that true?"

" I lead the X-men," Scott said and hoped he didn't sound as weak as he felt. That damn devise had set his entire nervous system in flames and his head had felt like it should explode.

" So, your friend lied to me?" the man asked and Scott didn't miss the fact that his finger had moved towards the control panel again.

" No, he didn't. I just lead the team in battle," Scott answered, not wanting Xavier to get hurt or go through what he had.

" Good, we cleared that up. Come here," he gestured for Scott to step towards the force field.

" No," Scott shook his head to amplify his denial.

" I sure hope you aren't all this stubborn for your own sakes," the man said with a sigh as if that would mean a great deal of work for him which it probably would. His finger moved to the control again and Scott braced himself for the pain as Jean's scream tore through the room as she fell to the floor.

" Jean! Stop this at once," Scott cried as he kneeled by her, his heart crying for the pain she was in.

" You'll go with me?" the man asked over the noise of Jean's screams, Logan's threats, Xavier's attempts at reason and Kitty's soft crying against Peter's chest.Scott nodded.

" Yes, now release her," panic was in his voice and he sounded more pleading than demanding as the man finally did as he asked and Jean's screams ended. Scott cubed her face.

" Oh, love. I'm so sorry," tears was in his voice but not in his eyes. This wasn't the time nor place for that.

" It's….alright," Jean rasped weakly as Peter and Kitty came to her.

" We'll take care of her," Peter promised and Scott smiled.

" Thanks."

" Come here. I will not repeat myself," the man demanded and Scott gave Jean a quick kiss.

" I love you. Remember that. Always," he whispered in her ear and she let a weak hand intertwine its fingers with his as he started to walk towards the force field.

"I….love.. you….too" Jean rasped weakly, hopefully so low that the man didn't hear. Not that he probably hadn't figured that out already but still…As Scott walked further away from her their hands fell apart. Scott passed Logan.

" Promise me you'll protect her," Scott whispered as he passed him, looking the other man in the eye. Logan wasn't the most tactful or controlled person but after he and Rogue had hooked up their relationship had grown warmer and each man held a deep respect and understanding for the other. In a fight Scott couldn't think of anyone he'll rather have to watch his back. Or….protect his loved ones.

" I will," Logan promised as Scott brushed past him. Logan's left arm which he held behind him around Rogue, tightened. They wouldn't take her away. He'll rather die. Scott had reached the force field and with a push on a button he was pulled through and the field fell into place again. It all happened so fast that no one had time to act. A guard handcuffed Scott and lead him away, disappearing from sight around a corner.

" Where are you taking him?" Jean yelled after them, frightened and panicked.

" We have a few questions we'll like to ask him," the man answered as he too disappeared from sight, leaving a very frustrated band of mutants behind.


	5. Part 4: Searching For The Xmen

Part 4:

"They have to be somewhere. Search again," Alex Summers, Scott's kid brother, persisted as he and the rest of the mutants at Xavier's school searched for their friends. Somehow it had seemed natural that Alex had taken over leadership now that all people over the age of 19 were missing. He was a Summers, a born leader and then he was the oldest of the students left behind.

" I have checked the data four times already," Kurt complained but did as bid.

" Hon', you're driving them too hard," Lorna said as she lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.

 " We need to find them and soon. Time is of the essence," Alex reminded her as he ran through TV broadcasts and other documentary from the fight their friends had had with the anti-mutant group. Of cause most of the TV stations told the story very differently, saying that mutants had attacked humans and all that usual rubbish. 

" I know. I worry too. We all do," Lorna reminded him softly.

" I know," he turned to a young, beautiful Chinese woman with a tattoo on her face. " Betsy, can you feel any of them?"

" No, it is as if their powers are…gone. They're either unable to use their powers, not on Earth or….dead," Betsy answered, not giving them much to work with. Earth was a big enough place to get lost on. The whole universe was way too much for him to even consider right now and death was not an option he would ever consider.

" Angel, do you have something?" Alex asked into the comlink which connected them to Angel and all other students sent out in town to find clues.

" I'm on the sight of the fight now. I have found pieces of their uniforms and clothing, blood which Hank says matches theirs and such but nothing to work on. We'll keep to it," Angel said, anticipating Alex's next sentence.

" Good. Alex out." 

Alex ran a hand through his golden hair. This was promising to be a long day in a long month in a long year. But he wouldn't rest, he wouldn't stop until he had found his brother, his only living relative he had first met a few years ago, and the others. No matter if he then had to search till the end of time or in the senate. He would find them. He would. No matter what it took, he'll be reunited with his brother.


	6. Part 5: Interrogation

Part 5:  

Scott was lead down the corridor, passing many cells like the one he and the others were held in. As the man lead the way his five guards walking behind with Scott between them, Scott noticed how all the people in the cells hurried away from the force shield, hiding in the corners. The people he did see looked weak and most had rags on bodies which were covered with bruises and cuts. Scott felt sorry for them for all they had had to endure but more than anything that they had been so broken, looking as if only the promise of the peace in death could set them free. He tried not to shiver. He would be strong. No matter what happened he'll keep the dream in his heart. A dream of freedom. These were his conscious thoughts but beneath them he felt the fear, the pain beginning to surface and he tried desperately to control it. He feared for the others; Logan's temper would surely get them in trouble, Xavier was a liability to them and was in danger of being killed as he couldn't do any labour standing up, Peter would die before letting them hurt Kitty, Jubilee and Bobby's sharp tongues would surely earn them punishment and above all he feared for Jean. His wonderful Jean, the love of his life and the light of his heart. The thought of her harmed in any way was too painful to even consider. He feared for himself too. Especially now as he was dragged towards a room and he heard screams from the other rooms around it. As Scott was pushed into the room he was sure he had entered Hell. There was more torture equipment on the walls than Gestapo had had in headcounters. There were chains, whips, knifes, guns and electric things that Scott didn't recognise. For once he felt ignorance was a bliss as he really didn't want to find out what they could do. In the room was a table with a lamp on it, a chair, chains handing from the ceiling and an old fashioned torture beach.

" Hang him," the man ordered and Scott felt a surge of fear. Were they to kill him now? Just like that? Two men came to him and forced his arms above his head and locked them in the chains hanging from the ceiling. Despite the trouble he was in Scott felt a surge of relief. They weren't gonna kill him. Not yet anyway. A guard pushed a button on the wall and the chairs pulled Scott up with them, letting him hang in the air. The strain in his arms was unpleasant to say the least.

" Let's try and do this civilised. I know there are more mutants in your group. Tell me where your base of operations is and I'll let you return to your cell and your…woman," the man's voice was remarkable reasonable and controlled, annoying the hell out of him. _Yeah, right. Tell you so you can capture and enslave them all. Eventually kill them, my brother included. No thanks, Scott thought darkly. At least they hadn't connected the school to the X-men which wasn't surprising. No one would think it was THAT obvious._

" You knew my answer before you asked," Scott answered and tried to keep his voice under control. He wasn't sure if the mention of Jean was meant as a threat or not but he didn't like it. The man leaned closer to Scott, being forced to look up at him as he was hanging ½ meter up in the air.

" This is your last chance. My colleagues here will not be as reasonable as I. They have a great hatred for your kind and would love to….work on you. And eventually they WILL break you," he promised as he gestured to the guards, the murder and hatred in their eyes telling Scott clearer than words that he wasn't lying.

" I know," Scott admitted and licked suddenly dry lips. He would break eventually but he'll be damned if he'll go down without a fight.

" Even if you are a mutant I do admire your courage although it will do you no good. Guards," he called and the five men moved up to him, saluting.

" Yes, Sir?"

" Use any means necessary but I want to know the location of their base," he saw the look of pleasure in their eyes and added, " but no permanent damage. What good is a slave who can't work?"

He turned to leave.  

" Why do you do this?" Scott yelled after him. He wasn't like the others. He didn't take pleasure in pain but used it if it gave him the means to his end. The man turned back to him.

" Like you, I follow a dream. I believe this to be right as you believe your dream to be right. Had it been the other way around you'll have done the same as me," he explained and turned to go again.

" I doubt it," Scott called after him. 

The door shut close.

" Now, you're ours, pretty boy," one guard said and advanced at him. Unexpected yet he should have seen it coming the guard took a swing at him, his fist colliding with Scott's already sore cheek, forcing his head to fly to the side.

" You know what? I'll prefer it if you didn't talk just yet," another guard said and took forth a knife and let it careens Scott's cheek as a lover. Scott forced himself to not draw back as the man pushed harder and the knife drew a trace of blood from Scott's ear to his lip. Of the five guards one guard had vanished from his line of vision and Scott didn't like it. He had been living as a blind for a long time and feared that darkness and uncertainty more than anything. He didn't like not knowing where his enemies were. Suddenly his shirt was torn to pieces and Scott regretted that he hadn't had the time to put on his uniform as they had heard the emergency call, as it would had been almost impossible to cut into. He knew what was to come as he was stripped to the waist and braced himself as he heard the guard from behind him laugh.

" I see that someone knows your true place, slave," he amplified the last word, satisfaction in his voice, " you have been whipped before." 

Scott briefly closed his eyes as the words bought back memories of the times before for there had been many. 

" Believe me; you haven't felt anything like this before," the man from behind him promised and Scott feared he was right. With a crack the whip was folded out and hit the floor. Scott tensed and clashed his teeth tightly together. More because he didn't want to bite off his tongue in pain than because he didn't want them to hear him scream.  Sooner than he had expected the first blow fell and Scott nearly cried out at the unexpected pain. Gods, it felt like he was being cut in two. The next blow fell and the whip bit into his back, taking away pieces of flesh. The pain was already becoming intense and almost unbearable.

" Hit him harder. I want to hear him scream," one guard said and even though Scott hadn't thought it possible the whip fell even harder than before. Unwillingly a small moan of pain escaped his lips.

" That's better." 

" Tell me, am I the only one to do some work around here?" the man behind Scott asked someone and he sounded exhausted at swinging the whip as hard as he could at Scott's back.

" He'll not feel any other pain that strongly right now. Wait till Mark is finished," one said and obviously meant the man with the whip. Scott felt tears burning in his eyes. This was only the beginning. As the whip fell again he did scream out loud in agony as the pain became too intense to bear. Blood warmed his abused skin as it ran down his back to drip onto the floor, making a bigger and bigger pool at his feet. Time lost all meaning as Scott concentrated on bearing this blow and then the next. His vision and world dissolved into nothing more than flickers of red as pain, blood and agony mixed together and drove all rational thoughts from his mind. When the man finally stopped to ask where the other X-men were Scott couldn't have answered even if he wanted to. His mind was lost in an ocean of darkness, blood and pain as his consciousness was slipping. Angered by his silence, the man beat him again with renewed strength. Scott let out a scream but his mind wasn't even awake of what he did. Finally he felt the invading darkness in his mind elope him and gratefully he let it take him away from the pain and agony. Finally, he couldn't feel anything anymore.

" Wake up, mutant. We hadn't got all day, you know?" a voice holding slight amusement and anger demanded and hit him in the face, his head flying to the side. Scott felt himself being torn from the protective darkness and back into pain and tried to fight it. He wanted to stay where he was. In oblivion. Away from the pain. But despite his effects to the contrary he was pulled away and back towards consciousness. Again a blow and his head flew to the other side. The pain in his broken lip and abused face from countless hits forced him all the way back to consciousness. His arms hurt as he still hung from the ceiling, his back was sore and bleeding and every move he made hurt. His entire body felt as if he was on fire with agony. 

" Finally awake, are we?" one guard asked as he saw Scott force one eye open. The other was swollen from the beatings it had taken and he was unable to open it. It was his right eye and it hurt like hell.

" Oh, yeah. Sorry about your eye but we needed to amuse ourselves a little, now that you decided to go faint on us," another guard said with a smile which could freeze the Pacific.

" What… did….you...do?" Scott weakly tried to ask but it sounded something like; " Waaa di…y…o?"

" Oh, well. Who needs two eyes anyway? No mutant slave, that's for sure," another guard laughed and Scott felt death creep over him. His worst nightmare had always been to go blind. A paranoid part of his mind was sure they had known this.

" Enough talk. Let's have some fun," a guard Scott didn't recognise, it had to be the guard who had whipped him, came into his range of vision. In his hands he held a glowing brand and he put it to Scott's cheek so close he could feel the heat from it and he unwillingly drew back. 

" Now, let's try this again. Where are the other X-men?" the guard let the brand move towards his left arm, holding it just a few mm's away from his skin.

" I….don't know," Scott tried to rasp, sweat coming to his brow as fear came forth in him.

" Bullshit," one guard spat and hit him in the stomach, taking his breath away. Scott drew pained breaths as he in horror saw the brand come closer to his skin.

" What a shame," the guard, Mark, said with a grin as Scott uselessly and weakly fought against his chains to draw back from him. The brand touched Scott's skin and he cried out loud in agony as his flesh burned and the stench of flesh, his own flesh, burning filled the air with a sweet aroma and sickened him. 


	7. Part 6: Waiting For Scott

Part 6:             

Jean sat on the floor, hugging herself. Every time someone were to pass outside in the hallway she'll lift her head and eagerly await Scott's return. And each time it wasn't him. She had seen men, women and children, broken and bruised being pushed by, their eyes empty and their stare blank. She had moved over to the force field to be sure not to miss him should…when Scott came back. He must have been gone for hours. At least it felt that way. No one had been allowed to keep a watch so it was hard to tell. She only knew that she was dying from worry. He had been taken from her and she had no way of knowing what was happening to him or even why. The others had tried to calm her, saying he'll be back soon but she knew better. Xavier had told her but he was a poor liar. Then Logan had repeated it, in more colourful words and it had sounded more convincing but still she had seen the sadness in their eyes as the words had rolled from their lips. They knew their words were false. But she had so wanted to believe them. For a while it had worked. The others had let her in peace and she had waited for his return. Until…until the screams had begun. She didn't know where from they came but they had stuck the small cell as clear as if he had been in the room next to theirs. It was driving them all crazy and her most of all. 

" Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh," a yell of pure agony, Scott's voice twisted almost beyond recognition, sounded through the building and the small cell.

" This is too much. I can't take this anymore," Kitty cried as she gave up her already useless attempt at finding a way out.

" Shhh, douchka[1]. All will be alright," Peter whispered and gathered her in his arms, drawing calming circles on her back.  

" How the fuck is it going to be alright? We're locked up, going to be sold as slaves, tortu…" Jubilee began angrily and scared but Bobby put his hand over her mouth before THAT word escaped her lips.

" Shut up and help me," he hissed, giving her a warning look as he with his eyes indicated Jean's white face. They still searched for a way out but even though none would voice it, they had admitted defeat.

" I'm going out of my mind," Jean whispered pained as another cry of agony followed. She put her hands over her ears in a failed attempt at blocking out the terrible images the screams brought up in her mind.

" You sick bastards," Logan yelled to no one and everyone as yet another scream followed. Rogue pressed herself against his chest and tears fell from her eyes. She wished he could stop the screams and make them…make it all go away.

" Make it go away. Please," she mumbled against his chest and Logan stroked her hair, whispering unintelligent words of comfort. Remy stood off to one side, alone. Ororo noticed a small tear glimmering in his eye and wanted to go to him but she was still working with Xavier's collar, hoping that by keeping busy she could ignore the screams of pain. So far it hadn't worked. Suddenly, out of the stillness between the terrible screams a song was heard:

" Just a smile and rain is gone

Can hardly wait 

Can hardly believe it

There's an angel standing next 

To me 

Reaching for my heart"

Ororo turned towards the source of the voice and saw Remy singing. He actually had a fine singing voice and his French accent wasn't so strong in song as in speech. She smiled as she knew what he was trying to do and when she looked at the professor she read in his eyes that he understood as well. When Remy continued the song that they all knew since Jubilee had been playing it for months, they sang with him; 

"Just a smile and there's no way

Back

Can hardly believe it

But there's an angel standing next to me

Reaching for my heart"

It didn't escape Ororo's eye that Remy was looking softly at Rogue as he sang, his words for her. But she looked up at Logan as she sang with them and Logan smiled at her and grunted a few unheard words with them. As they began the next verse all but Jean sang with Remy;

"I know I'll be ok

This time it's real"

Jean smiled through her tears as if the words bought back good memories and even she sang with them for the next part;

"Just a smile and there's no way

Back

Can hardly believe it

But there's an angel standing next to me

Reaching for my heart"

Any other screams were deafened as Remy picked up a new song as soon as one was finished. When the songs finally died away, no screams were heard and the cell was quiet. For a while no one spoke until Remy broke out in hysterical laughter and soon the others followed him. They had nothing to laugh about and everything to cry over yet still an insane laughter ran through the cell as if they needed this; needed this release, this pretend of carefreeness for just a few seconds until reality couldn't be denied anymore. As even their laughter died away the stillness seemed more to mock them than cry for them.

*                    *                      *

TBC

Disclaimer: The song mentioned in here is "I Lay My Love On You" by Westlife and I naturally don't own the song. The band, songwriters and record company does.

  


* * *

[1][1] Russian for "Darling"


	8. Part 7: To The Rescue

Part 7: 

Black Thunder walked with swift steps down the hallway towards the Captain's office. He was a man in his mid thirties, his skin a beautiful copper colour and his eyes and hair as black as the darkest reaches of space. Like most male mutants, he wore only trousers, only his were made of skin and in a better condition than most and then the collar all mutants wore on Genosha. The scars on his back, chest, arms and legs bore evidence to a hard life. He was a strong man and would have been thought handsome had it not been for the scars on his body and the deep scar that ran from his left eye to his neck and gave him a somewhat grim look. He reached the door and entered.

" Captain, I bring news," his voice was spoken almost in a whisper, monotone and without emotions.

" Let me have it then," the middle aged white man said from behind his desk. He had just been looking into the X-men matter and hoped that their leader, the one called Cyclops, would tell him something soon. 

" The President have decided that no more mutants are to be… transported from the US to Genosha. The American government are beginning to ask questions. You are to stop the questioning of the X-men leader and put him and the others to work," as always Black Thunder's voice and eyes were emotionless and one who saw the two men together would never have guessed that they had known each other for years.

" Is that an order?" the Captain asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the other man.

" From the president, yes." 

" Very well then. Go see if you can't patch him up," the captain reluctantly let go of his chance of finding the other X-men. Damn, he had been so close but he knew better than to go up against the leader of Genosha. Black Thunder turned to go.

" Oh, and Michael…" he amplified the word, the white name, human name, given him by his captors but got no reaction from Black Thunder. The captain nodded silently in satisfaction. A sign of distaste to the name given him would be a sign of disobedience. "…tell me when he's back with the others. I have needs for them later. That will be all," he made a dismissive gesture and Black Thunder existed the room. He walked again on the hallway until he found the room he was looking for and went in. The room was totally dark but he soon made out five persons standing over a body crumbled up in the back corner, mumbling words of pain as he was kicked and beaten. The men were so consumed by their interrogation that they didn't notice he had entered. Black Thunder doubted they would have heard him anyway as they yelled insults of all kinds at the man in the corner. He had heard all the insults before and then some yet somewhere deep within, a place in his soul where light still shone even after it had been tried to be beaten out of him for years, he cried for the man. Yet his voice and eyes betrayed nothing as he let the door slam shut. 

" Stop this at once," his voice was as always, low but held an edge of steel with couldn't be denied.

" You have no right to give orders, half-breed," one of the guards spat and Black Thunder could now see that he and the other guards were wearing night gobbles to be able to see in the dark cell. He knew this method to break a prisoner well, and right he should as he had tried to be on both the receiving and giving end of it. The darkness and the not knowing were often what broke the prisoners more than the beatings themselves.

" Today I have. Orders from the Captain. He is to be released. Now!" Black Thunder moved closer and his eyes quickly gave him the full advantage of sight even in the dark room. It was a gift he had inherited from his mother and her people. 

" If the Captain says so…" one guard began to back away.

" Don't be stupid. He's lying. His kind always is," another spat and to prove his point he delivered yet another kick to the man on the floor.

" I said…" Black Thunder began as he drove closer and with a quick move and an even quicker fist knocked two guards to the floor and moved in on the three others. "….you…were…." another guard fell to the floor before he even had a chance to know what was happening. "….to…leave…him…alone," as his sentence ended so did the resistance from the guards as they were now all out cold on the floor. He knew he had to come up with a damn good explanation as to why he had hit the guards so quickly but that had to wait. Even if he had to take punishment for it, it didn't matter. It had been so satisfactory to see their scared eyes before he knocked them down. What a shame that he couldn't kill them but the Captain hadn't ordered a termination on them…yet. He was hopeful as the guards had had more than 24 hours now to try and get information out of the X-men leader and still stood empty handed. He would enjoy killing them. However all thoughts of killing disappeared as he bent towards the man in the corner. With his night vision he could see that the man was naked and bruised all over. He was only half conscious and Black Thunder was sure that the only reason why he hadn't passed out from the pain was because the guards had used a drug to prevent this. As he reached out a hand towards the man he tried to crawl more into the corner, his eyes telling Black Thunder that he wasn't even consciously aware of this action. He drew his hand back and left to find the antidote to the drug given him. He returned soon after and again kneeled beside the man. He reached for him but through bruised and broken lips the man tried to utter a weak "Noo" and draw back. Black Thunder didn't let him; he grabbed his arm in an iron grip and put the needle in his vein. The man fought to stay conscious, probably afraid of what would happen should he fall into unconsciousness but the drugs left him no choice. His eyes closed and his breathing became even.

" Finally, warrior, at least for a time; you feel no pain," Black Thunder whispered as he gently lifted the man up into his arms and carried him out of the room which still held so many dark memories for him and sure as hell did for the man in his arms.

TBC


	9. Part 8: Seeing The Doctor

Part 8:   

" What do you have there?" Cecilia asked as she saw Black Thunder coming through the door, carrying a naked and very bruised white young man. 

" Do what you can," Black Thunder said as he lay the man on a medical bed in the mutants hospital wing where he had taken the man. 

" I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker," Cecilia complained but still went from the young boy in the other bed to go check on the man Black Thunder had just carried in. Cecilia was a tall black woman, she too wearing the collar as Black Thunder did. Before all this had happened she had been a doctor and when Black Thunder had found her in all the confusion he had suggested that she worked as a doctor for the mutant slaves, arguing that a dead slave wasn't worth anything. Cecilia had to work with used and old equipment and never enough medicine and she often had to lose her patients over things which could have been cured had they been allowed to come in time and had she had decent equipment. 

She began looking at Scott's wounds on his torso. There were marks from beatings and burn wounds from cigarettes. When she had first come here she had been shocked at the cruelty of her captors but now nothing shocked her. She had several times been asked to keep captured run away mutant slaves alive for interrogation so they could be alive until they reviled who had helped them and how. She had wanted to refuse but the alternative had scared her too much. She had been there and never wanted to feel that pain again. Besides she was a doctor. She couldn't refuse to help them either even if she knew she had patched them up so they could be tortured again. She remembered once when Black Thunder had come to her while she had fought to save the life of a young woman who had been tortured for hours which wasn't an easy thing to do. Without a word he had walked to the machine keeping the woman alive and turned it off. She had tried to go to her and try and save her but Black Thunder had blocked her way; holding her back. She had cursed him then, cursed his calm voice as he had told her it was for the best. When later she discovered the fate all her "saved" patients got she had understood his reasons even if she didn't agree with them. In his opinion life without hope was no life at all. He and all the others may be slaves but they still had the hope, the illusion of life; some more than others. The mutants she had been told to patch together had not been alive. They were already dead as soon as they had been caught.

" I know you can do this," Black Thunder said and helped her tend to the man's wounds and turned him over so she could treat his back. She looked at the angry red welts, the dried blood and the already beginning scars.

" This is barbaric," Cecilia said angrily as she put some healing ointment on his bruised back and made a bandage for him.

" I have seen worse," Black Thunder commented tonelessly as he worked mechanically with her. Cecilia cast him stolen glances. She had known him for almost three years now yet she still knew as little about him as when they had first met. She was sure that deep inside he was a good man but she couldn't figure out why he worked with their captures. He was a man who was very hard to get to know. The slaves whispered about him, some good but mostly bad. After all; he was to most a traitor to his own kind. He was a highly placed errand boy for the Captain. That and a very skilled assassin. She had heard rumours about him. That he was the one the captain sent out if he wanted someone eliminated, slave or guard alike. Oh, yes, it wasn't just the slaves who were controlled with an iron fist.

" How soon till he is able to work?" Black Thunder asked much later as the man was bandaged and now slept in the hospital bed.

" Three days," after years of practise and due punishment the lie rolled easily off her tongue. If he were to be at his best she actually wanted to keep him in the hospital for weeks but she knew that was impossible.

" I can give you till tomorrow but that's all and then he's to be ready when I come for him," Black Thunder turned to go. 

" Wait. Who is he?" Cecilia asked curiously. She had never seen him before. He was actually beautiful. At least he had been. She hoped the wounds wouldn't scar too badly, especially the one he had in his face. 

" …..The leader of the X-men," the answer was long in coming and he turned to leave again.

" Don't he have a name?" Cecilia asked and couldn't keep a hint of amusement out of her voice.

" To me; no. A name means you cast emotions and ties. That will only destroy you. Never do that, Doctor. Never, " Black Thunder's voice was as even as ever but Cecilia could have sworn she heard a hint of sadness in it.

" Then why did you save him? And he's even white!" Cecilia asked after him. It wasn't that she had anything against whites but all their guards were white as well as all the leaders of Genosha. It could be hard to separate the hate for one's captives and all whites in general. Sure, a fair share of the mutants here were white but still….she also knew of Black Thunder's …if not hate then distaste in whites. Especially white males. She didn't know what demons he had and what role white males had played in it but she was sure it hadn't been Santa Claus. She too, had had it difficult even before she had been brought here. She had been black and then a woman and yet still she had fought to get into and stay at medical school. She had felt the prejustice even if it hadn't been spoken out loud. When she had been working at the hospital, how many times had white males not automatically assumed that she was the nurse and not the doctor? Especially if she had a white, male nurse or doctor with her they would turn to him and not her. Then when it had been discovered she was a mutant….everything had fallen apart.  She wasn't even a powerful mutant. She could make protective force shields around herself and others but that was all. The trussing and turning of her newest patient brought her thoughts back to the present and she returned to his bedside. She increased his sensitive and he fell into a peaceful sleep. She knew that when he was away from her care he'll have pain and he'll remember. Nightmares and traumas would develop. As long as she could help it she wanted to prevent that even if it meant him being unconsciousness for the most part. But then around here, unconsciousness or dead were the only two ways to forget pain and the world for a while. 

Cecilia took a small flashlight and looked at the man's eyes. Since Black Thunder had brought him in unconscious, she hadn't seen them before. One eye looked alright but she saw a red light glitter in the back of his eye from time to time and she was sure that this man's mutant power had something to do with his eyes. She looked at his right eye which was swollen and forced shut by dried blood. She forced the eye open and lid into it. She almost dropped the flashlight in shock as she saw his right eye stare unblinking back at her. It seemed as if a small, sharp and very warm object had been stuck into his eye. He had been blinded on his right eye! Anger and compassion filled her mind. Anger towards this man's tormentors and compassion towards her patient. She knew both feelings were dangerous and Black Thunder would warn her against them but she couldn't help it. This man didn't deserve this. No one deserved this. She wanted to sit by his bedside as if that would somehow help him but a scream from the other end of the hospital room filled with beds told her that she had new patients yet again. With a last look at the man in the bed, bandages covering his abused body, she turned to resume her never ending work.  

TBC


	10. Part 9: Scott Rejoins The Xmen

Part 9:       

Cecilia looked at the man in the bed. Black Thunder could be here any minute now. She had to wake him up. She had let him stay unconscious for the most part since he had arrived yet she couldn't shield him from the truth or the pain any longer. Taking a needle she filled it with the antidote and injected it into a vein on the man's arm. 

" Ohhh," the man said as he blinked and tried to sit up.

" Careful. Here, let me help you," Cecilia said as she arranged the pillows and helped him sit up, careful to not put too much pressure on his abused back.

" Where….am…I?" the man asked weakly.

" In the hospital wing of the compound, the main building for the slaves here in the capital city. Here," she held a glass of water forth for him to drink. He eyed her for a while.

" Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.

" For pity's sake! Look, I'm the woman who saved your ass so now drink," she held the glass to his lips and this time he drank.

" Feel better?" she asked as she took the glass away. He couldn't have too much water all at once. The man followed the water longingly.

" Yes," he answered simply and Cecilia couldn't hold back a smile. Anyone who had taken a beating like that was never fine. She suspected him of having some kind of military experience. 

" Let me take a look at your eye," Cecilia took off the bandage she had made around his right eye. It had been a blooded wound so she had given him a compass. She had also stitched his wound in his side. " Yes, it looks like it'll heal nicely."

" When….will my eyesight return?" his voice was even but she heard the fear in it. She drew back a little so he with his left eye could see her in profile. Telling bad news had always been what she hated most about this job.

" I'm sorry but I couldn't save your eyesight on your right eye," she saw his face fall and a tear threatened to roll down his cheek. " I truly am sorry," Cecilia repeated before turning to go.

" Wait…I…thank you," the man's voice was low and she knew that edge in it. That, "I'm losing my dream, I'm breaking down" that she had heard so many times. But this man was still different. He was strong. She hoped he'll pull through mentally. It meant a lot in a place like this.

" You're welcome. By the way; I'm Cecilia Reyes. Everyone calls me Dr. Cecilia. I take care of the mutants here," she gave him a kind smile before going towards a new bed and a new patient.

" Dr. Cecilia…" she turned to look at him…" I'm….Cyclops and I thank you," she smiled again. Yes, definitely military. He didn't trust her yet so he had given a codename with which she could find him if she needed to but only because he thought he might need her more. An….interesting man.

" Medicine Woman, I'm here to pick up the man I brought in," Black Thunder said as he entered the hospital.

" He is here," Cecilia said and guided him towards the man. He now sat in a chair, dressed in an old t-shirt which had once been white and a pair of old blue jeans, the blood on them bearing evidence to the fact that they had been used before.   

"Black Thunder, this is Cyclops," Cecilia introduced with a smile as Cyclops got to his feet, trying to conceal a flicker of pain. Black Thunder gave her THAT look but Cecilia ignored him. " Now, play nice, boys. I see I have new customers," with that Cecilia left the two men to just stare at each other for a while.

" Come with me," Black Thunder said and turned his back at Cyclops, walking towards the exit. Seeing his chance Cyclops leapt forward to jump him even though he was still weak, only to have Black Thunder turn around quicker than the wind and Cyclops collided with his fist instead and he landed on the floor with a "ohhh".

" Never attack a man from behind. It is unworthy of a true warrior," Black Thunder said, his voice so damn even and controlled. The words spoken in that almost whisper voice he had. Smug bastard, Scott thought darkly. As weak as he still was anyone could probably have taken him down yet any shoot at freedom was worth a try. Black Thunder stretched a hand forth to offer Cyclops his help to get up and with a moment's hesitation, Cyclops accepted his help, letting him draw him up. They walked out the hospital and down the hallway. Cyclops looked at the cells and doors.

" Don't. I'll be forced to kill you and I'll rather avoid that," Black Thunder warned as he saw Cyclops's good eye follow the men coming and going with a longing look. Cyclops got an angry gleam in his eye, more because he had been figured out so easily than anything else.

" You're a mutant..." Cyclops said and nodded to Black Thunder's collar…." Why do you help them?" his voice held anger, disbelief and confusion. Black Thunder didn't strike him as an evil man yet he wasn't exactly working for the side of the angels here.

" I have my reasons," he merely responded but not before Cyclops saw the flicker of pain in his eyes. He hadn't lead a easy life, the scars on his body bearing clear evidence to that, yet still it confused Cyclops a lot that he still worked for them, especially as he was sure they had been the ones to scar him in more ways than one to begin with. 

" Scott!" Jean cried, tears of happiness running down her cheeks as she saw her fiancé coming towards her out on the hallway. All the X-men gathered to greet him as he drew closer.

" Holy shit," Bobby spat as he saw in what condition Scott had returned. He was covered in bandages and had a big red welt on his face that could surely leave a scar and his right eye stared unseeing at them. 

" I'll kill you, mother fucker," Logan cried in fury as Black Thunder and Scott were just outside the force field. Guards passing in the hallway looked after them, making any attempts for Scott to try at take the force shield mechanism from Black Thunder impossible. Not to add that he was still weak and Black Thunder seemed to be in excellent psychical condition.

" I can give you two hours. No more," Black Thunder warned, as he got ready to reunite Scott with Jean. 

" What happens in two hours?" Xavier asked as the force shield opened and Scott stood before Jean again, getting lost in her face, her hair and her beauty. 

" Then the captain who was here earlier will return," Black Thunder said but even that dark prospect for their near future didn't lessen the X-men's happiness at Scott's return. Black Thunder saw the man, Cyclops, kiss his woman, take her into his embrace, stroke her hair and whisper words of love and comfort to her. The scene bought back memories of Silver Moon and Star Child that he'll hoped he had forgotten. Love, blood, pain and betrayal all watched into one as his memories threatened to consume him. Quickly he left the X-men's cell to escape those memories yet their happy words and laughter filled the sooner always dark and cold hallway and was on the edge of driving him mad. Finally he escaped back into the hospital and for a moment in time he sought comfort in Cecilia's arms. She didn't know why he had returned. Why he was her arms. What kind of demons he was running from yet still she stroked his hair as a mother a sick child. She mumbled words of comfort and compassion, the first he had heard for more than five years. He didn't cry, not one tear fell from his eyes, yet Cecilia could feel his pain in all he didn't say. It felt like hours but it had only been minutes before he let her go from the bear hug grip he had had her in. He wiped some lose hair behind her ear and whispered;

" Thanks, Medicine Woman but this is one soul even your healing hands can't cure," he gave her a strange half smile as if he saw irony in the statement, before he turned around and was gone. Cecilia looked long after him. Of all her returning patients, he had always worried her the most even though he never had any permanent damage. Not even like what they had done to Cyclops with his eye. For normal mutant slaves " no permanent damage" meant only that they should be capable of working and that was all. It was possible to work with only one ear, without a nose or with only one eye. The guards never ceased to amaze her with their cruel ingenuity. But still….she looked after Black Thunder as he walked down the hallway, alone. Still, there was something about him that made her mark him as her most cruel case yet. She didn't know all his secrets or all his demons but she did know that somewhere deep inside, there was a man who hurt like no other. Her lips curved in a bittersweet smile. Considering that Black Thunder gave her many a patient it was a strange statement, yet still she felt it was true.


	11. Part 10: Scott And Jean Together

Part 10:          

Jean let a finger gently trace the scar on Scott's face.

" Oh, love," she whispered, pain and sorrow in her voice. " I'm so sorry."

" Just hold me. For now, just hold me," Scott plead and she pulled him into a gentle embrace, careful not to bruise him or touch him more than with the lightest touch. 

" Are you alright?" Xavier asked worried as Scott and Jean had sat on the floor, buried in each others arms for a long time without talking; merely enjoying each others nearness.

" I am now, " Scott answered as he finally let go of Jean, taking hold of her hand and giving her a soft, loving kiss. 

" What did those bastards do to you?" Logan demanded to know, anger clear in his voice. Rogue went into his embrace to try and calm him down but also to see if some of his strength couldn't hold her up in this hard time. 

" They asked me questions. About the X-men. Where they were," Scott's voice held no emotions at all and that scared the others more than anything. They didn't have to ask if he had said anything; the scars on his body spoke for themselves. 

" Do you know what they'll do to us now?" Peter asked and tried to calm Kitty down.

" No, but I guess we are to work as the other slaves here," Scott guessed. He didn't even want to think the thought that maybe they weren't through toying with them. He didn't know why they had stopped his "interrogation". A few days longer and he'll have broken. He knew it and he was sure that both this Black Thunder character and the man he called captain knew it as well.

" Speaking of slaves….the man who brought you here. He was obviously a mutant, wearing a collar. Was he working for the captain?" Ororo asked as she recalled the man who had brought Scott back. There had been something in his eyes, something in his soul that had spoken to her. Like a memory from a dream. 

" Black Thunder? Yes, he was."

" That double crossing Judas," Jubilee spat furiously.

" I never thought I'll say this but I agree with Jubii on this one," Bobby said grimly but giving Jubilee a smile.

" Why, that's a first," Jubilee said sarcastically but neither her nor Bobby's words held any anger. On the contrary they were the only ones left who still tried to lighten the mood a little. 

" Why would he do such a thing?" Jean asked confused as she gave Scott's hand a gentle squeeze, careful not to hold on to his hand too hard because of the bruises from the chains on his waists even though she wanted to hug him close and never let him out of her sight ever again. 

" He didn't seem like a evil man nor did he hold that look in his eyes as the guards did. The look of contempt and hatred," Xavier mused. 

" I don't know why he works for them but he isn't evil and I don't even think he likes them. He saved me. Brought me to the hospital and let me stay there for two days," Scott thought out loud.

" Maybe we can use him to our advantage," Ororo suggested. There was something about his eyes, those deep black eyes. It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul but Ororo refused to believe that the man, Black Thunder Scott had said his name was, had a soul as black as his eyes.   

" Maybe," Scott agreed absently as he got lost in Jean's green eyes. " You are so beautiful," he whispered as he stroked her cheek. Jean smiled and let her fingers dance gently over his scar on his face.

" So are you." 

She drew him into a kiss and the others knew that they had lost themselves in each other and their love once again. 

" I love you so much. The thought of you brought me through this. That and nothing else," Scott mumbled against her lips. 

" I love you too. So very very much," the last of Jean's words were muffled as Scott closed his lips over hers, tasting her, feeling her, marking her. Loving her for now and in all eternity.

TBC


	12. Part 11: A Woman's Sacrifice

Part 11:

Black Thunder entered the captain's office almost two hours after he had brought Cyclops back to his cell.

 " Yes, Michael?" the captain asked as he turned towards him.

" You wanted to know when the leader of the X-men, Cyclops had been returned. He has been so now," Black Thunder reported, standing at attention before the other man.

" Yes, I did ask for this in tell," the captain's eyes narrowed. " As I recall I also asked for it as soon as possible. The guards on duty in the hallway reported that the X-men leader have been in his cell for almost two hours now."

" I had business elsewhere," Black Thunder replied, the lie rolling easily of his tongue. The only sign of anger was the fire in his eyes as the captain stood up and drew closer to the other man and swiftly slapped him in the face and Black Thunder's head flew to the side. He turned back and continued to look directly at the captain, nothing betraying his emotions as he wiped the blood from his broken lip.

" You disobeyed a direct order. You were to give me this information at once. You will take the full consequence of your actions," the captain stated coldly as he turned away from him again.

" I understand," the voice was low and toneless as always.

" But that'll have to wait," for a while neither spoke. Then the captain sighed and something that could have been regret was in his eyes.

" Why do you make me hurt you so?" the captain whispered softly. Black Thunder said nothing for there was nothing to be said. The captain returned to his seat and looked through some files, the X-men's files to be more precise.

" This leader of the X-men, Cyclops. He fascinates me. Do you think we could use him?" 

" He has great mutant powers and a sharp military mind but…"

" But what?"

" He'll rather die than work for you," Black Thunder said confidently. The captain's eyes narrowed.

" That can be arranged. But he has friends, maybe even a woman. We could use them," the captain continued.

" That'll only buy time. He'll never work efficiently; he'll destroy anything he could get his hands on. He'll have to be watched 24 hours a day and I don't have the men to spare," Black Thunder explained.

" Given enough time as a prisoner or under interrogation, any man would do or be anything to me, anything. He'll even kill his own wife for me, isn't that right, Michael?" 

Black Thunder got a bitter taste in his mouth and fought the shame down.

" It is."

" Hmm, but I believe you're right. He'll be a handful and we can't spare men to guard him when we're at the brig of war with the natives," the last was said with a meaning look at Michael but his face gave nothing away. The captain looked through the X-men's files again.

" This one is interesting. Logan, called Wolverine. Hmm, healing factor, metal skeleton, heightened senses, claws. The man is a living weapon!" the captain said impressed.

" And totally uncontrollable. More beast than man in his actions," Black Thunder warned. The captain sighed and looked further into the files.

" This one is also a possibility. Ororo Munroe, Storm. With her on our side we could win the war. The natives would probably think she was a Goddess and do whatever she says and then…. we win!" the captain looked excited at the prospect.

" True but again she'll have to be guarded 24 hours a day and if she's to be totally loyal to you, to this cause, if she is to betray her friends…it'll take years. If her collar is removed now, she'll kill anyone in her way to free her friends. She can't be trusted that quickly even if we started brainwashing her now." 

The captain closed the X-men's files and stood up.

" If I didn't know any better I'll say you are trying to keep them away from me," his voice was almost pleasant, making it all the more deadly.

" No, captain. I'm merely doing as I'm told; telling you what I see. Those 3 will be great assets but it'll take years to convert them and more manpower than we can presently spare." 

The captain smiled.

"True," he said and walked around his desk. "Come with me," he ordered as he went past him and Black Thunder followed with five of the captain's guards. They walked through the hallway until they stood in front of the force field separating the X-men from the hallway. 

" What the fuck do you want now, you sick bastard?" Logan growled and so wished he had something to back his threatening behaviour up with. 

" Logan, no," Scott warned but too late. The control was in the captain's hands yet again and Jean instinctually moved closer to Scott as he and the others had gotten to their feet.

" I have grown tired of your ill manners," the captain stated and with that he pushed a button on his control.

" Noooo!" Rogue cried.

" Stop it," Scott demanded.

Logan fell to the floor in agony as his entire nervous system felt like it was on fire. He bit his lip to blood from preventing from screaming. No way in hell was he giving the bastard that satisfaction. 

" Logan. Oh God. Please stop," Rogue cried as she kneeled beside Logan, unable to do anything to ease his agony. She tried to take his hand to try and somehow ease his pain but he rolled up in a ball, trying to escape a pain that he couldn't fight. 

" You are a brave man, Logan. However it can't help you now," the captain said and pushed a new button. The intensity of the attack strengthened and this time a yell of pure agony did escape Logan's lips.

" For Christ sake, stop this!" Scott demanded, feeling so helpless.  He knew the pain Logan was going through and he never wished anyone to feel that yet he couldn't do anything to prevent it.

" Captain, may I remind you that you have a scheduled meeting with President McLain today at five?" Black Thunder's emotionless voice broke through the noise of Logan's screams, Rogue's cries and his team-mates threats, demands and even pleas from Kitty.  He sounded for all the world like he was watching a soccer game and had just commented on the fine weather. 

" You are quite right," the captain pushed a new button and Logan was finally freed.

" Logan," Rogue cried and laid his head in her lap. He had lost consciousness. She stroked his hair gently and bent down and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. 

" You, slaves," the captain began, " will work from tomorrow like all others. The healthy men will go to the mines. The injured will go to sickbay and then return to work. Long-term damaged goods will work here, in this building. The presidential palace is near by and they always need extra hands in the kitchen and with the cleaning. Those I can use will stay here to work with the facilities we have here. Is this understood?" he looked around at the mutants. 

" We understand," Scott answered for them all. They couldn't risk more getting hurt. What did they take them for anyway? Stupid three-year-old kids? Or most likely not even kids, not humans at all, Scott thought annoyed. 

" Good. Now…." The captain studied a hand held panel with writing on it. He looked at the mutants in the cell again " Jubilation and John will be taken to sick bay and will work in this building until their damages heal." He turned to Black Thunder. " Michael, find something useful for them to do."

" Yes," he simple acknowledged.

" Logan, Peter, Robert, Remy and Scott will be taken to the mines starting tomorrow. I know of your teamwork so you'll work alone and as long as you fulfil your quota you can do what you want out there. Remember, of cause that you will be under surveillance by guards and that attempting to escape equals instant termination," he warned as he already predicted trouble with this group.

" Logan has been injured. He should go to sickbay," Scott argued. He wasn't surprised that the man knew their real names nor that he used them. He had simply to check their picture with any kind of photo ID in the US to get that information, now that they were powerless and more or less out of costume. Furthermore, by calling them by their first name he reduced their status. Codenames were for their powered identity and last names were to indicate they were to be given the same hospitality as any human. To use their first name was also like an insult; as if they were friends when they were enemies. But the again, in his eyes, they probably weren't human. 

" He will recover during the night. By tomorrow he will be quite capable of joining you in the mines," the captain declared with a dismissive wave of his hand. 

" What of the professor?" Scott asked, noticing that he hadn't been mentioned and knew it was a bad sign. 

" He can't work in the mines. I have no use for him. By sunset he will he terminated."

" No!" Jean protested.

" You have no right to control life and death," Ororo said.

" Don't…" Scott began but Xavier caught his hand with his own, holding it for a shot while. He still sat on the floor as the only one as Bobby had ignored Jubilee's protests and had lifted her up in his arms. Jubilee's face was a grimace as she tried to fight the pain her broken leg gave her. John too looked strained but he didn't say a word. What would it help anyway?

" There is nothing you can do," Xavier told him gently. He didn't want Scott, didn't want any of his students, of his X-men, to suffer because of him. 

" The professor could prove valuable to you," Black Thunder said to the captain.

" I don't see how but by all means; enlighten me."

" We could always use him in Sick Bay. Dr. Cecilia is doing it all alone and there is a lot to be done," Black Thunder argued but his voice didn't betray if he cared at all about the fate of the man whom he spoke of.

" Hum, I don't know," the captain wondered out loud.

" Give it a try. You can always terminate him later."

" Very well. Should he prove useful so we don't loose so many slaves he can stay. Otherwise he is out. I have no need for a mutant who can't work," the captain declared and all X-men visibly relaxed.

" Thank God," Kitty mumbled against Peter's chest. 

" Where was I? Oh, yeah. The women," the words had barely left his mouth before all men instantly took up a defensive position before a woman dear to their hearts. Bobby held Jubilee a little closer, Rogue squeezed Logan's limp hand for comfort, Scott eased Jean behind him and Peter did like wise with Kitty, Remy went to Ororo and stood with her and John stood before Rogue, ready to protect her should the need arise though what good he could do in his present state was doubtful. 

" You leave them alone," Scott demanded.

" You should be thankful that I'm in such a hurry, otherwise I would have been forced to show you some manners, boy," the captain said, his eyes narrowing. 

" Scott, please," Jean said softly and laid a hand on his shoulder.

" The women will work as servants in the presidential palace. They are all quite beautiful and that's what we need to those posts," his glance swept over the women. " Tonight is our celebration of the president's rise to power. My guards deserve a good time," Scott stiffened, as he knew where this discussion was heading and not liking it at all.

" Lay one hand on Jean and I swear you'll regret it," Scott spat out, anger blazing in his eyes. Anger and an overshadowing concern. The captain pretended not to have heard his outburst. He looked at the women and then at his panel with writing on it and then back to the women again.

" Ororo, Jean, Katherine and Marie will come with me for tonight. Jubilation will do no good because of her injury," he demanded and waved the guards over to get ready to open the force shield.

" Captain, I think one of these women will be sufficient," Black Thunder broke in, his eyes glazing at the women. The black woman with the white hair, the one the captain had called Ororo, there was something about her. She awoke feelings in him he thought he had long since buried.

" Why?" the captain asked sharply.

" Too much pleasure and you'll never get them back to work again. They will get demanding. Besides there are going to be other women. Humans as well as slaves more…willing that I'm sure they'll find these," with a nod he indicated the women.

" Some like the fight but I see your point. However my soldiers need entertainment, any kind of entertainment, for the evening," the captain made a gesture to say that he didn't see any other way. He didn't like men forcing themselves at women, not even mutant women but he saw no other way. His soldiers were soon to go to battle, he needed their loyalty.

" Then let them take me," Black Thunder offered as emotionless as if he always offered his life on a silver platen which he never did. Looking out for number one was a rule he had lived by for a long time and it had kept him alive.

" You??? Why should I?" the captain asked surprised. This wasn't in the plan at all. 

" No one here exactly likes me. They'll be happy to have a chance, one whole night, where your command of no harm coming to me unless you order it, is disbanded. Besides you did say I had punishment coming. Let this be it," his voice wasn't pleading, merely stating a suggestion. The captain saw the looks of hatred, contempt and joy at the prospect at being able to hurt Black Thunder in any way that his guards gave the man. Sick bastards, all of them, the captain thought darkly. But favouritism always had a price; usually a high one.

" Very well but…" he looked sternly at his guards. " he is not to be permanently damaged and I mean that literally. All his limps will work come sunlight and he'll have lost none of his senses, you got that?" his voice was calm but held an edge of steel.

" Yes, Sir," the guards chorused. The captain's eyes narrowed as he saw the intense hate in the guards eyes.

" If he dies, you die," he promised and the guards nodded understanding.

" Furthermore, at first light the chain of command and punishment is re-established as always on this night. One drink after sunrise, one drunk guard, one undisciplined punishment and it is instant termination, understood?"

" Yes, Sir," the guards chorused again.

" Good, now back to the matter at hand," the captain looked at the women. " One of you come to the force field now. The others can stay. I don't care which one but decide now!" the captain demanded and no sooner had he spoken before Ororo slipped past Remy and stepped into the light and in the same she stood on the other side of the force shield.

" Stormy, no!" Remy cried and ran after her only to ran into the force shield as he made a grip for her and he landed on his butt by the far wall.

" Ororo, what are you doing?" Scott asked pained as she was handcuffed. 

" This was the best way. I'm second in command after you. It is my responsibility," her voice was strong even though she knew what lay ahead of her in the night to come. In her thoughts she tried to convince herself of the necessity of her actions; the others were way too young and she was the only one without a man to worry for her. It had to be her.

" Oh God, Ororo," Jean cried as she was lead away. Black Thunder followed after. He hadn't spoken a word but the woman's actions, so unselfish, so pure, had him intrigued. He didn't want to admit it but he had fought for her. It was her he hadn't wanted to see hurt. It seemed that fate was always unkind to him. He had just made a deal he couldn't break. A deal which could make this a very long and very very painful night in more ways than one. He caught the woman's eyes. He saw fear in them yet still she managed a small smile for him. Where did that bravado come form? She looked so fragile yet she accepted her fate as a warrior. As the guards lead them both towards the main hall, Black Thunder found comfort in the fact that at least he wouldn't have to face this alone. But then just before they reached the main hall, the white haired woman was lead away from him, into another room.

" Where are you taking her?" he asked, trying to keep his voice under control. Damn, he had worked so hard to bury his emotions yet one look from her eyes and he was falling apart. But this wasn't the time nor the place to do that. He needed to be strong now. He couldn't afford to show weakness.

" You should rather worry about yourself, half-breed," one of the guards said and drew his hands back, trying to handcuff them.

" No, I'll walk by myself," he declared and slipped out of his grip.

" Why you…" the guard began.

" That's enough. He'll keep his word. Let him walk by himself," the captain demanded, getting ready to go from the small group and to the meeting he had with the president. He looked at Black Thunder and a flicker of something that could and could not have been compassion flashed in his eyes but was then gone.

" Be in my office tomorrow at eight for instructions, Michael," the captain demanded and then left. That meant that if the sun rose at the same time as yesterday he'll have some three hours to be patched up in. He hoped Cecilia was up for a challenge. 

" Yes, captain," Black Thunder simply said as he began to walk towards the main hall and the fate that awaited him. He remembered the courage he had read in the white haired woman's eyes and he drew on that. He had lived through a life made up from pain and built in blood. He could survive this as well. He would get through and he would be strong. He might not have his freedom but he had his pride. And holding on to that pride as if it was all he had left, which it also was, he walked into the main hall and the arms of his enemies.

TBC


	13. Part 12: Torture

Part 12:   

" Well, well. What have we here? If it isn't Michael, the captain's lapdog," Mark snarled as he stopped Black Thunder as he came towards him, guards on either side of him. 

" Yeah, I hear he has abandoned you. For all of one night," a soldier said, his voice sounding rather drunk and the beer in his hand amplifying that.

" For tonight your ass is ours, half-breed," another soldier said and the disgust in his voice didn't sound promising. Black Thunder walked to stand in the centre of the room, the tables in the big hall forming a half circle around him. The tables were booming with food, soldiers and guards were sitting, standing or laying all over the room; drinking, eating or taking some of the women away. Most of the women were human whores, hired for this evening. Some however were mutant slaves. Most of these women went with their captures willingly, having been promised some kind of payment.

" What the fuck is he doing here?"

" Kill him"

" Stupid mutant freak."

Words, insults, flew through the air yet Black Thunder stood perfectly still, knowing that getting upset about it wouldn't bring him anything.

" Quit!" A voice yelled and silence fell over the room. Only the faint background music still played. Black Thunder followed him with his eyes as James, self-proclaimed leader of the common soldier, came to him. 

" He killed a friend of mine. He belong to me," someone demanded but a hard look from James´ steel grey eyes made him back down.

" We can't kill him but we can make this fun," he said with a leer. " But…" he warned. " this can't get out of control. We'll all be killed come morning if he's not in one piece," his gaze swept over his comrades, meting their eyes to make sure they understood and didn't let their anger and hate destroy everything. 

" Let's whip him."

" Burn him."   

" Beat him."

Suggestions came from all across the room and the calm with which Black Thunder listened to them angered James. He smiled evilly at Black Thunder as he took the older man under the cheek and forced him to meet his eyes.

" Why not do them all? But first…let's eat," James walked towards the tables and seated himself  in the middle like some old king. Reluctantly all soldiers redrew from Black Thunder, their eyes promising a very long night as they passed him. They all seated themselves at the tables, eating and drinking. Black Thunder stood in the middle of the room, trying to look less vulnerable than he knew he was. 

" For any good meal; you need entertainment," A guard, Brian, said with a laugh as he caught and held Black Thunder's eyes. Got you now, his eyes seemed to say. " And we already got a dog to perform for us," he nodded to Black Thunder and laugher ran through the room. 

" Yes, dog, show us some tricks," James agreed wickedly. I would rather die, Black Thunder thought but years of captivity had learned him to keep his lips sealed. 

" I think our dog needs some persuasion," James nodded to the four guards who stood a little away and on either side of Black Thunder. One of them unfolded a long black leather whip from his belt, making it crack against the floor. He smiled at Black Thunder as he disappeared behind him. Think of the white haired woman. Think of her courage, Black Thunder thought as he tried to prepare himself for what he knew was to come. He had tasted the whip many times like almost all slaves had, his back bore evidence to the fact yet he had never learn to overcome his fear for it. But unlike when he had been a child, he no longer showed his fear or suffering. It stayed inside. The first blow fell and the whip bit into his flesh. Black Thunder bit into his lip as he prepared for the next hit and the next. With agonizing slowness the guard drew the whip back only to slam it down on his back as hard as he could. He could feel the blood running warm down his back. He raised his eyes and met and held James's as the next blow fell and then the next. Amusement had fallen over the crowd at the first blows but as more and more were added and no sound came from Michael they lost interest.

" Enough," James roared and the blows finally stopped. Black Thunder drew his breath in pained gasps. Twenty-six hits. Could have been worse. His back hurt like hell and he wanted to easy his pain and preferable sit down. But he didn't. He just maintained his eye contact with James. 

" You're doing this the wrong way," Brian declared as he watched Black Thunder closely. There was nothing he wanted more than to rid Michael of that damn pride of his. It made anything they did to him look like a failure. A young slave girl came and put a plate with meat on the table, next to his seat. Following a hunch he grabbed the girl and pulled her into his lap.

" Let me go," she cried frightened and hit him in the chest but he merely laughed at her attempts at hurting him and drew her close. He watched Black Thunder's reaction closely. Others would have missed it but he saw a small fibre vibrate in his cheek. He forced his lips against hers and when he drew back, blood was on the girl's lips. He stood up and drew her with him. He saw the small motion towards him that Black Thunder did before he could stop himself. He smiled. He seemed to have found his es. 

" I think I'll take this little beauty back to my room," he forced the girl's face around and drew his knife. He enjoyed her look of horror as he let his knife dance over the skin on her cheek. " But she do seem a little reluctant. I may have to hurt her. A lot. I'm afraid there won't be much left of her when I'm done," the words wasn't spoken to anyone but Black Thunder. The girl was very young, barely fourteen and very frightened. She looked thin and weak. Not just physically but mentally as well. She wouldn't survive a night with Brian's sick games of pain. He'll destroy her. His conscience fought with his pride. Was her life really worth sacrificing for his pride? Yes, for without his pride he wouldn't survive. No, it was only for one night and he'll find a way to get his revenge. And he knew most of the people in the room. Most where people who lived for orders, hatred and fear were all they knew. They didn't want to play head games with him for long. They'll want to hurt him. Only James and Brian would be smart enough to figure out that he'll rather they tortured him till sunrise than humiliate him. 

" Let her go," Black Thunder demanded, his voice emotionless as always but his eyes showed his conflicting emotions if only for a minute. 

" I want entertainment. What'll I get in return?" Brian asked even though he knew the answer. This was a game and he was winning; finally.

" Let the girl go….." You have definitely lost your mind, he thought grimly. Definitely. Before he had looked into that woman's eyes. The white haired woman. Before he had seen the purity of her soul in her eyes and the courage in her voice; he'll never had thought twice about his answer. It was a tough world where only the strong survived. "…….and I'll do as you demand," he forced the words out. Why the hell had he even said that? The girl would probably die soon anyway. She was weak. She wouldn't be able to survive here. 

" Give me your word, half-breed. For tonight; you'll do anything….and I mean anything, I ask of you," Brian's eyes were a light with joy at the prospect of the power he'll have over the man he despised so much. 

" I….." Damn him to hell, Black Thunder thought darkly. " I give you my word," that was that then. His word was given and now he couldn't take it back. He shot the girl a dark look as Brian released her and she ran to the safety of the kitchen, crying into her hands.       

" I see our dog has notthing to eat. We really should fix that," Brain said. He took a bread from the table and walked around to come to stand before Black Thunder. Black eyes met and held hate filled green ones as Brian tore the bread to small pieces and let them fall to the ground. With an evil smile he then took his booted foot and stepped on it. He took a step back.

" Eat that," he demanded. Black Thunder looked furiously at him. White people. Someone must have made them with a born gene for cruelty. Not that he believed anymore but he couldn't understand why The Great Spirit would make such people. His first instinct, his first thought was to deny it. To tell Brian that he could go to Hell and that he'll personally see to it that he got there. But he couldn't. He had given his word. He may have done a lot of wrong things in his life but he had never broken his word. Slowly, his pride rebelling, his spirit dying, he fell to his knees. He lifted his head to look at Brian, letting him see the hate and anger in his eyes. 

" Keep your eyes lowered, dog. You forget your place. Tonight you're just like all the rest; a slave to do what he is told and nothing else," Brian hissed. Black Thunder held his gaze for a while longer but then forced himself to lower his eyes. He forced his hands to move as they reached for the first piece of bread. Now, he knew how Brave Eagle must have felt when it had been him on his knees and he didn't like it. He almost had to do violence at himself to do it but he lifted the piece of bread in his hand and guided it to his mouth. He felt like killing somebody, preferable Brian but anyone would do. Right now he'll even kill himself for the stupidity of ever giving his word. What the fuck had he been thinking? He knew better than that. Knew better than to care. Quickly he put the bread in his mouth and swallowed it without tasting it. He got up from the floor.

" I didn't say you could get up," Brian said and made a " tys, tys" motion with his finger. Damn, that bastard was enjoying this. If looks could kill Brain would have been burned away as Black Thunder got to his knees again. " Now, ask me if you can get up." 

Black Thunder's head flew up at his words. 

" Don't ever look your master in the eyes," Brain said with an evil laugh as he slapped him in the face and Black Thunder forced himself to lower his eyes to the floor. 

" Can I get up now?" He asked and tried to ignore the foul taste pleading brought to his tongue. Oh, yeah, finding a way to kill Brian was definitely the top priority on his "to do" list. 

" You may." 

Black Thunder got to his feet and saw six guards standing close to him.

" It is our turn now," one said and before Black Thunder knew what was happening, the man´s fist collided with his face. Blows began to rain down over him and he tried to block them with his hands but there were too many. He was forced to the ground and was kicked and pouched at with sticks. He culled up in a ball in a failing attempt to protect himself. Above the intense pain and the guards words of insults he heard Brian's laugher. After what seemed like hours unconsciousness finally claimed him and he gratefully let it elope him.


	14. Part 13: Ororo's Fate

Part 13:  

" Come on, mutie. It aren't no fun if you can't feel it," a drunken voice complained and tried to deliver a kick to Black Thunder's limp form on the floor but couldn't aim so his foot shot past him. 

" He's out cold. You'll get nothing out of him. Come, have another drink," a new voice said and Black Thunder heard the sound of feet walking away from him over the floor. He lay perfectly still, pretending to still be out of it to discourage anyone from trying anything. He guessed he had been awake for over an hour now. It had been hard to ignore the pain in his back and chest. He guessed he had at least a couple of broken ribs and his back felt like it was on fire.

" Hey, Brian, I thought you said this guy was tough," another voice said and laughed.

" He is. I'm not so sure……," Brian began and Black Thunder heard the sounds of feet coming closer. _Go away, go away, he wished before he could stop himself._

" Hey, Brain, come here," someone called and Brian ceased his steps towards Black Thunder and walked the other way. He felt relief as sweet as spring water watch over him. Time seemed to lose its meaning as he only waited for the first rays of sun to shine. Finally he heard the call he had been waiting for over the speakers in the room;

" As of now, the sun has risen. All men return to their posts." 

Black Thunder could have cheered. Finally, it was over. He opened his eyes and carefully stood up as his back was complaining loudly over the mistreatment it had been given. Soldiers and guards ran around in the room, moving away the tables, chairs and other things. He couldn't see Brian or James anywhere. Well, he'll meet them soon enough and then he'll initiate some sweet revenge. Walking very slowly out of respect of the guards handiwork, Black Thunder reached the hallway. He checked his watch; 05:45. It gave him a little over two hours before he was to meet the captain. He was on his way to sickbay as his thoughts caught up with his actions. The woman, the white haired woman…..She was here somewhere. He was torn between wanting to go look for her and just moving on. He couldn't do anything for her and helping her would just bring him in danger as if this night hadn't proven that already. Good deeds never paid off. Never. But even as he was arguing against it in his head, he found his feet carried him back towards the rooms he knew the soldiers used for…such activities. 

_Oh, great. I truly have lost my mind, he thought darkly as he looked into the first room and found it empty save the big bed and bare walls. After having checked some ten rooms he was ready to give up. His back was killing him and time was running short. He needed to be in just an acceptable condition when the captain saw him. He reached a new room and decided that this was to be the last one. As he laid his hand on the handle he heard mumbled words. From the strain of walking his wounds on his back had reopened and blood was dripping onto the floor and down his legs__. _

_I sure hope I'm not disturbing some General or something, Black Thunder thought as he turned the handle and walked in. _

On the bed he saw her. The white haired woman. Only now her hair wasn't so white nor was it very beautiful. Her face was swollen from beatings, her left eye swollen shut and blood coming from her broken lip. Her once so long and beautiful hair had been rudely chopped off, leaving only small inches of white on the top of her head. Her arms were locked with handcuffs to the bed poll above her head. She was naked and cuts and bruises decorated her body, bleeding or already beginning to colour. But worst of all was her eyes. Her face didn't change, nor did her eyes. They just stared strait up in the ceiling, unblinking but he could see the intense hatred in them. A guard had been lying on top of her, wearing only jeans which he tried to undo in his drunken state. He had heard Black Thunder open the door and turned towards him.

" What the fuck are you doing here? She's mine. You can have her when I'm finished," the guard said with a stupid grin and turned back towards the white haired woman. 

" That wasn't exactly what I had in mind," Black Thunder answered in his most emotionless voice as if commenting on the weather.

" Hmm?" the guard turned back towards him and Black Thunder hit him in the face, sending him to the floor. As he was sure the guard wasn't getting up just yet, he went to the bed and kneeled beside the woman, making sure she could see him if she wanted to turn her face to look at him.

" I won't hurt you," he whispered but when she didn't respond he reached up and undid the cuffs, having taking the key from the now unconscious guard. She didn't even take her hands down. Must be in shock, he decided.

" I'm going to take you somewhere safe where no one will ever hurt you," he promised. He looked for something to cover her with and took one of the sheets, covering her naked and abused form with it. He then lifted her up in his arms and carried her out the room. 

" Hey, what are you doing?" a guard asked and ran after him. Black Thunder stopped, pressing the woman close to his chest. He searched for signs of life in her eyes, signs which would show that she was aware of her surroundings but she didn't even blink. What the hell had those bastards done to her? 

" I'm on my way to sickbay with this woman," Black Thunder explained as the guard reached him.

" Sickbay? But that's not……," he never got to say the rest as Black Thunder lashed out and kicked him in the balls, sending him to his knees and then delivered a kick to his head, sending the man to dream world.   

Black Thunder hurried through the hallway, avoiding the other guards. He reached the end of the hallway where his room was. With difficulties he succeeded in opening the door and he placed the woman on his bed and hurried to close the door again. Now what? He wondered. This hadn't exactly been planned. His room was small, only a bedroom and a bathroom. There were nothing on the walls and the room was very similar to the cell the woman had been held in before. Black Thunder went to her and took away the sheet with gentle hands. She still looked at the ceiling, lost in her own world. 

" Stay here," he whispered and went to the bathroom and turned on the hot water, filling the tub. He rarely had hot water and his bathroom was old and ugly but it served its purpose. Today, however, things finally seemed to be going his way as the water stayed hot until he turned it off. He returned to the bedroom and lifted the woman up into his arms and carefully placed her in the tub. He took a washing cloth and began to wash her arms, shoulders and face. He was sure that the cuts on her chest and legs should be washed more thoroughly but he decided against it. He looked into her eyes and they still looked lost. Now he was beginning to worry. 

" Wake up," he demanded harshly but got no reply. What was it the captain had called her? Ororo? Yet the boy had called her something else. A nickname, maybe? Stormy? Storm?

" Storm, I need you to wake up. Right now. No one here will hurt you," he said softly but she didn't seem to understand him. 

" I'm sorry about this," he mumbled and raised his hand. A clash was heard as his hand made contact with her cheek. 

" Wake up. Come on, Storm. Wake up. I know you can do it. Don't let them win," Black Thunder said and continued to strike her, her head flying to the side. As he raised his hand for another blow her hand suddenly shot forth and caught it, holding it away from her red and abused cheek.

" Enough," she rasped and Black Thunder could have cheered even though her voice was weak. Her physical injuries weren't extensive and now that she seemed to come out of it and what they had done to her….She'll pull through. He lifted her weak body from the tub and quickly dried her. He found a loose, big white t-shirt he placed over her head before carrying her back to bed. She hadn't spoken but now he could feel her glance on him whenever he moved. It was a look filled with mistrust, disbelief, fear and very much hate. He placed her on the bed and before she had time to know what was happening he had cuffed her right hand to the pole of the bed. She stared with murder in her eyes at him.

" I'm sorry but I can't have you running out in the hallway," he moved to the door. " I'll be back as soon as I can. Try and get some sleep, " with that he exited the room. He walked down the corridor with fast steps and found the guard he had knocked out in the hallway still down. He called some soldiers over and told them to carry the guard to the interrogation block. He did likewise with the guard in the room where the woman had been. As he waited for the two men to wake up he paid a quick visit to Cecilia and washed, got bandaged and changed from his bloodied clothes to a black west and leather pants to cover his bandages. Despite Cecilia's wishes for him to remain a little longer in sickbay, he quickly left and went to the interrogation block. 

" Michael. You brought the two guards in?" a woman who worked in the interrogation centre asked.

" Yes,"

" The charges?" she inquired and stood ready with a piece of paper and a pencil to write it down. 

" Both were drunk on duty," Black Thunder said and moved past her, going towards the room the guards were held in.

" They will be terminated then after standard questioning," she said and disappeared to tell her superiors of this. Seeing his chance, Black Thunder entered the room. It was a big, round room with two exists and both men were hanging from the roof in chains. The sight brought some unpleasant memories back but he pushed them away. There were no time for that now. He walked over to stand before the nearest one.

" You know what will happen now," his voice was even as always, sounding almost pleasant. The man was scared stiff and couldn't even get one word out. He merely nodded.

" What do you want now?" he inquired. " You know what you are facing."

" To…..die," the man rasped as he finally conquered his fear. 

" I can help you with that but then we are to make a deal," Black Thunder began and moved closer to the guard. " You tell Dr. Sally when she comes to interrogate you that you saw your friend over here…" Black Thunder nodded towards the guard who had been in the room with the white haired woman. " …kill the white haired mutant in a fit of rage."

" But I saw her. With you," the man protested weakly. Thunder's eyes narrowed.

" I can make sure you get a very long and agonizing death or…..I can make it quick and painless. You decide," Black Thunder said and turned to go.

" I take your deal," the another man said and the corners of Black Thunder's mouth moved up in what could have been a very small smile.

" Good, and you?" he turned to the first guard again. Out in the hall voices could be heard as Dr. Sally came closer. 

" Yes, I take your deal," the other man finally said as his fear won over his sense of loyalty. 

" Good." 

Black Thunder took out a small box and opened it. He put two pills in his hand. It had taken him forever to get the pills and he had saved them for himself if the need should arise. However, the purpose of the pills had now changed. 

" Swallow this. Quickly," he demanded and put a pill in each man's mouth which they swallowed.

" Will…." the first began.

" You'll be dead within ten minutes," his eyes narrowed. " But if I hear you have betrayed me I'll personally kill every last one of your blood relatives and then move on to any friends you may have had," the threat in his voice and eyes wasn't to miss. When Dr. Sally opened the door Black Thunder had just managed to escape through the other door and out of the room. When the time reached 08:00 hours Black Thunder lay his hand on the door handle to the captain's office and tried to get his quick breathing under control as well as the pain in his body. He opened the door and went in.

TBC


	15. Part 14: Back To Work

Part 14:       

" Michael," the captain acknowledged as he walked into his office, eight o'clock precisely.

" Captain," Black Thunder said and stood before his deck.

" I trust you are…. whole?" the captain asked, a faint note of what could have been concern in his voice.

" I am unhurt," Black Thunder simply replied and tried to ignore the pain in his back and broken ribs. He could feel that the wounds had reopened, the warm blood running down his back.

" Good. Now, first of all I want you to get the new slaves…. the X-men started right away," the captain said and looked through some papers. Damn government. Wanted papers on everything. Like a man's word wasn't enough?

" Yes, captain. There is a matter concerning the X-men you need to be made aware of," his voice was even and low as always.

" Oh? What?" the captain raised his head and looked at him.

" The white haired woman, Ororo, died during the night. One of the guards killed her as she resisted too much," the lie rolled off his tongue so easily as if he was talking of a fact he'll swear the truth of.

" How disappointing. Oh, well. Things like that happens. I assume you have taken the necessary actions? I can't have all the guards killing slaves whenever they see fit."

" The guard in question has been terminated."

" Good," his eyes returned to his papers. " Two soldiers; number 234 and 543, were found drunk this morning. Deal with it after the affair with the slaves."

" Yes, captain."

" You may go," the captain said with a dismissive gesture without even bothering to look at him. Black Thunder turned on his heels and left. He walked down the hallway towards the X-men's cell. The captain had believed the white haired woman was dead. So far, so good. Now her friends needed to believe the same. He hadn't planned to hide or even help the woman so his plan wasn't so sophisticated. If all believed her dead she could be with him and maybe, one day, he'll somehow manage to find a way out for them. A way to freedom! As he neared the cell he heard voices.

" Oh Scott, I can't believe she did that. What if they hurt her?" a woman's voice, soft and with a loving tone to the man she asked.

" It'll be alright, love. Ororo is strong. She'll pull through," a man's voice said, gentle and loving but with an inner strength speaking of years of leadership.

" Logan, it wasn't your fault," that voice was a young female with a southern accent, warmth in her very low voice.

" It was, darlin`. I should have stopped it. I should have," a strong voice, barely holding back an intense anger and hate. All voices stopped as Black Thunder came within vision.

" What have you do to Ororo?" the leader, the one the red haired woman had called Scott, demanded to know. So, her name really was Ororo. Beauty, what a fitting name for she was indeed a woman who walked in beauty.

" If you have harmed one hair on her head, bub, I'll kill you," the man who had spoken earlier growled. With the murder in the man's eyes, Black Thunder was glad he was on the other side of the force field.

" Your friend passed away during the night," Black Thunder said and he saw the sorrow in their eyes.   

" Oh, my God," Kitty whispered and Peter unsuccessfully tried to comfort her as she bust into tears.

" You lie!" Scott yelled angrily as tears threatened to fall. She couldn't be dead. He wouldn't accept that.

" Oh, Ororo," Jean whispered and tears fell from her eyes. Ororo had been her best friend, more than that. She had been a sister.

" You son of a bitch. I'll kill you," Logan yelled and exploded in a fit of rage, throwing himself against the force shield.

" Logan, no!" Rogue yelled but too late. Logan was thrown into the back wall and fell to the floor. Rogue ran to him. " Sugah, you alright?" she asked concerned and reached for him.

" Yeah," with difficulty he sat up. The earlier night's events hadn't helped on his nervous system and being thrown into walls wasn't really a good idea just now.

" The following people are to go with these guards to the mines, " Black Thunder pointed towards six guards waiting for orders. He noticed the look in Scott's eyes. " Don't try anything or they'll use the collars on you," Scott looking angrily at him.

" Scott, Logan, Peter, Remy and Robert step towards the force shield," Black Thunder demanded. He saw the refusal in their eyes but only Logan voiced it.

" Like hell," he growled. Black Thunder looked at Scott, hoping he could understand the situation. They couldn't win.

" Step forth now or I will use the collars on you," Black Thunder said matter of factly.

" Logan, don't. There will be another time," Scott said and turned to Jean. " I love you," he whispered in her ear and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. It was becoming a habit for them to always say the words when they parted. In the life they lead now, there were no room for tomorrows and maybes. 

" I love you too. Come back to me," she whispered and stroked his cheek.

" I will," he promised although he knew it was a promise that lay outside his control. Giving her one last kiss, he walked towards the force shield and was in a blink of an eye teleported to the other side. Black Thunder saw the anger and sorrow in the man's eyes before he quickly covered his emotions. 

" Marie, I…" Logan began and bent down to kiss her. 

" No, don't. Don't say goodbye," she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek and Logan caught it, wiping it away. Logan bent down and claimed her lips with his own. 

" I'll be back," he promised and walked to the force shield, standing between the guards a few seconds later. 

" Kitten, I…." Peter said as he softly stroked her cheek.

" Don't. Don't go, Peter. I love you," Kitty cried. 

"Douchka, I promise, I will be back. Ia vas liouble[1]," with that he bent down and kissed her before easing her out of his embrace.

" No," Kitty yelled and made a grab for him.

" There, there, petite. All will be fine, you see," Remy said softly and placed a restrained hand on her shoulder. Peter stepped through the force shield. Remy looked at Rogue. She stood by the far wall, tears in her eyes but also a strength he had not believed possible in such a fragile looking woman. She looked so beautiful yet so small. He longed to go to her and comfort her but he couldn't. He let go of Kitty, pushing her into Jean's motherly arms and stepped towards the force shield. He was the only one with no one to say farewell to. Now, even Stormy was gone. He had no one left.

" Well, I guess I'll better go," Bobby said as he stood next to Jubilee, she sitting on the floor with her broken leg, her face very white from the pain.

" Yeah," she admitted, conflicting feelings running through her. Bobby's face fell at her lack of response. 

" Don't start crying for me just yet, princess," he said sarcastically and began to walk towards the force shield.

" Bobby, wait!" Jubilee called. He turned around and looked at her, his heart beating faster in his chest. She wore the same clothes as she had been caught in, she was bruised and dirty but to him no woman could be prettier. " Come here," she asked and he walked back to her. She grabbed hold of his jacket and pulled him towards her. She gave him a quick kiss on the mouth before letting him up. She grinned as she saw Bobby's red cheeks.  " Don't get any ideas," she said with a smile as he walked towards the force shield again. 

" Oh, I've got a lot of ideas, princess. Like you and me, moonlight and…" Bobby began with a smile, as he was teleported outside the force shield.

" Why you…" Jubilee began in mock anger and playfully reached for him even though she of cause couldn't reach him. Through her tears Jean smiled at the pair. She knew both Jubilee and Bobby grieved for Ororo as they all did but they couldn't handle it all right now. They needed that game of theirs to continue playing to keep just a small part of what had been their normal life, alive. They needed it to save their sanity. Jean looked after Scott, as he and the others were lead away.

" They will be back tonight. In fact you'll meet them for dinner at six in the big dinning room," Black Thunder said as he saw the women's look of worry as the men disappeared from their vision.

" You will of cause allow us to doubt your words," Xavier said mildly and spoke up for the first time. He was well aware that he was a burden to their captures and had thought it best to at least not anger them.          

" Of cause," Black Thunder answered before turning towards the women. "Katherine, Marie and Jean will step forward and then these soldiers…" as he spoke five soldiers appeared, " will take you to the palace where you will work. As I said you will be returned here tonight." 

" Come on, girls," Jean said, strength in her voice, and gestured to Rogue to follow her towards the force shield. With Kitty still crying in her arms, Jean took her with her through the force shield. Then Rogue walked through. 

" Jean…." the professor began, not knowing what to say.

" It will be alright, Charles," Jean said and forced a smile as they were lead away.

" Kick their asses," Jubilee yelled after them from her position on the floor and got a small noise of amusement from her three friends. Kitty looked back towards her and waved to her with tears in her eyes but a small smile on her lips as she remembered happier times, before being forced to move on.  

" Okay, that leaves only you three, Charles, Jubilation and John," Black Thunder said and let his gaze sweep over them. Jubilee and Xavier sat on the floor by each their wall while John stood up, cradling his broken arm and looking thoughtful. The boy wouldn't be a problem. He seemed quiet and reserved. The girl, however, had a quick tongue and the guards had hot tempers and quick fists. The old man could be a problem as well as the guards would love to kick around with him, especially when they discovered he was so helpless. Well, all in good time. 

" Where are we to go?" Xavier asked as Black Thunder thought about options.

" The infirmary is still the best solution," Black Thunder reasoned out loud. Cecilia could normally keep the guards out of the infirmary itself, they'll stay in the hallway and just outside the room. Black Thunder spotted three guards. 

" You, come here," he called and the guards reluctantly obeyed.  He knew that if they had had anything to say in the matter he'll have been tortured to death long ago but as things were now they had no other choice than to obey. As the guards stood behind him, Black Thunder disbanded the force shield and walked into the cell. He noticed the boy tense, instinctually raising his unhurt arm to strike and the girl did the same. Ignoring them he walked towards Xavier. The older man looked questioningly at him but with no fear in his eyes and Black Thunder came to respect the man in that moment. To have such a will to live, to lead, to survive after all what he had been through…. remarkable. Without a word, he bent down and swept Xavier up in his arms, carrying him towards the hallway. 

" Hey," Jubilee protested and with John's help got up. 

" John, support the woman," Black Thunder ordered and started to carry Xavier out.

" He's wounded," Jubilee said angrily. Black Thunder turned back towards her. Xavier wasn't a lightweight in his arms and his back was killing him while the dried blood on his back and the beginning scars made him want to scratch. It did nothing to improve his patience.

" It's either him or the guards. You choose," Black Thunder said and though his impatience could be heard in his voice, it was still low and even. Jubilee saw the look of disgust but also lust in the guards' eyes and shivered. John noticed and laid her arm around his neck by his unhurt hand and began to guide her after Black Thunder, down the corridor. After what felt like forever for them all they finally reached the infirmary and Black Thunder carried Xavier inside, Jubilee and John close behind. The guards stayed just outside the door.

" Black Thunder! What have you done now?" a woman asked and John saw a beautiful black woman with shoulder length hair coming towards them. She wore a white coat indicating that she was the Dr. Cecilia Black Thunder had mentioned. She was…. stunning.

" This man needs a wheelchair," Black Thunder said as he placed Xavier in a chair.

" We have none. You of all people should know that if a slave can't work anymore they get cancelled," Cecilia said and moved towards John and Jubilee. " Here, come to the bed," she said gently and guided them to a bed each where they gratefully sat down. She examined Jubilee's leg first. " Hum, a clean break," she commented.

" Shall I give you a hand with it?" Black Thunder asked and came to her.

" You have the time?" 

" Yes."

" Fine. Hold her down while I set it back in place," Cecilia said and before Jubilee could protest Black Thunder had pushed her hard against the bed, having her pinched down.

" What are you doing?" John asked alarmed.

" You can't do this. She needs drugs for the pain. I'm a doctor too. I know," Xavier said from his chair from which he couldn't move. 

" We have no more drugs and we aren't getting any new ones till next month. I can't waste the new drugs I have left on a broken leg when I can get patients with serious injuries later," Cecilia said harshly.

" Jubilee?" John said softly and she took hold of his hand. He tried not to let her see his worry for her but apparently it didn't work as Jubilee gave him a small forced half smile and said;

" It will be alright."  

John smiled a little at that.

" I should be comforting you," John protested. Black Thunder looked at the young girl. Although she hid it well, he could see the fear in her eyes. Pain was always that much more unpleasant when you knew it was coming. 

" Medicine Woman?" he said with a questioning tone of voice. After years she understood his silent question.

" Do it." 

Before neither Xavier, John or Jubilee understood what was happening Black Thunder hit Jubilee hard in the face, sending her into unconsciousness.

" Hey. What are you doing?" John protested again. Both Black Thunder and Cecilia ignored him as they now both worked on the leg. With a crash, the bones fell into place and John made a face at the pain Jubilee would have felt had she been conscious. Cecilia made a better splint for her and then turned towards John. 

" You can just hit me right away," he mumbled as Cecilia took the piece of clothing away from his arm. It looked real bad and wasn't a clean break. Bones stuck out from the skin. It had to hurt like all hell, yet still the boy hadn't complained even once. Black Thunder began to realise that the X-men were done of tougher material than he had first thought. 

" You're right," Black Thunder said and hit John in the face, his head flying to the side as he was knocked into unconsciousness. 

" Take him to the table," Cecilia said and Black Thunder carried him to a table that Cecilia used as an operation table. It didn't much look the part but there was a big lamp over it. Back Thunder moved a chair to the table and then carried Xavier over to it and placed him in it. He looked at Cecilia.

" I can manage here now. You go do what you have to do," Cecilia said and waved him away. She knew that it had probably something to do with termination but she didn't ask and he didn't tell. It was better that way. With a small nod of his head, Black Thunder exited the room and walked away to find two unfortunate guards.  

Xavier worked with Cecilia on John and they succeeded in putting his arm back together although they had had to work with crude material and instruments. John would probably get a scar after Cecilia's stitches though. He now lay in a bed next to Jubilee, both having drifted into sleep after nights without any and without a real bed although the hospital beds wasn't exactly the newest models they were better than the floor of the cell. After that slaves had come to sickbay and Cecilia had enjoyed having Xavier to help her. When things had calmed down she had found Xavier next to the bed of a young woman. 

" What is wrong with her?" Xavier asked as he looked at the young woman. She had blond hair and green eyes. She looked to be around the late thirties but looks could be deceiving, especially in her case. She had almost as many cuts, bruises and scars as Black Thunder so Xavier figured they most both have been slaves for a long time. She had obviously been tortured long and several times. What disturbed him the most however was the emptiness of her stare. Her eyes were opened but she just stared up in the ceiling as if nothing around her interested her nor existed to her.

" Physically she is almost healed but mentally…" Cecilia took a deep breath. "… They tortured her, raped her. Finally she broke down. She has been here for three months now. Black Thunder brought her here but I have been unable to reach her no matter what I do," Cecilia let her hand pass millimetres from the woman's face yet still she didn't even blink. " See? There is nothing to be done. Her mind is gone, destroyed. Now she only waits for her body to follow her. I have seen it before," she noticed Xavier's sympathetic stare. " Don't waste your time with her. She is a living dead. You should rather help me with those we have a chance to save," she said and went towards a new patient that had come in.

" You won't mind if I disagree and tried anyway?" Xavier asked mildly and stroked some loose hair away from the woman's face. There was something about the woman…something called to him. He didn't know what or why but he knew it was there. He had to save this woman. He hadn't been able to save Ororo or his X-men but he'll save this woman. 

" Be my guest just do it in your own free time, when we don't have any customers," Cecilia said and nodded to a guard who ungently took Xavier from the woman's bedside and put him in a chair next to the operation table. Xavier looked one last time at the woman. He felt strangely alone without her at his side. It didn't make sense as they had just met but still…. maybe some things were meant to be. After what he had seen over the years he wouldn't rule anything out. When the operation was over Xavier returned to sit by the woman's bedside, talking softly to her.

  


* * *

[1] Russian for "I love you"


	16. Part 15: Ororo's Ordeal

Part 15:  

Ororo followed the man with her eyes as he exited the room, leaving her behind and tied to the bed. She looked around in the small, very small, room. This was worse than the cell; at least there she had had the others with her, something to occupy her mind with. Here she was alone; alone with her thoughts. The more she looked at the walls the more she was sure they were moving in on her. She tried to control her claustrophobia but it was next to impossible. Her eyes went to the door again. Her claustrophobia wasn't her only concern…

She tried to control her rising fear but it rose in her anyway. He would be back and when he did he'll be like the others. Cruel hands touching her, forcing her to do and say things she didn't want to. Forcing himself upon her like all the others. Hot rage replaced her fear. She wouldn't let it happen. Not again. Never again. She tore at the cuffs holding her to the bed. They were made of metal and didn't buckle. She tore at it again, her waists starting to bleed again from the wounds she had gotten when she had tried to get away from the first men who had come to her. Panic was beginning to elope her. She had to get away before he came back. She had to. She couldn't take this any more. She needed to get out. Needed to be free. 

" Uh, ahh," she moaned as she tore at her waist to try and get out. Tears sprung to her eyes from the pain but she kept trying until she fell back on the bed in sheer exhaustion. It was useless. She couldn't escape. Tears rolled from her eyes as she spotted a fork laying on a small table standing against the wall in the small room, to one side of the bed. Drying her tears away with her free hand she got up from the bed and reached for the fork. The cuffs held her back so she got down on the floor and stretched her body as long as she could and again reached for the fork with her free hand. She brushed it with her fingertips but as she tried to get a better hold of it, it fell to the floor.

" By the goddess," she mumbled irritated but forced herself to relax as she reached for it again. Time seemed to stop as all she thought about was getting the fork. After countless failings she finally got it. With a smile at her triumph, she put one of the teeth of the fork into the keyhole of her handcuff. Moving it back and forth a few times, the lock sprung up. 

" Who says you can't learn anything from a thief?" Ororo said out loud as she threw the cuffs away. Finally free. She got to her feet and reached for the door. She was about to open it as someone was opening it from the outside. Panic ran over her. He was back! Quickly she hid behind the door as the man, Black Thunder, entered. He saw the empty bed and as she sprang from her hiding place onto him, he was ready. He dropped the bag in his hands and took hold of her right arm, forcing it onto her back and twisted it up. She was forced to her knees. He learned over her from behind and whispered in her ear;

" I will not harm you but if you go out there you'll be killed," his voice was soft, even. 

" I don't believe you," Ororo hissed, fighting her fear with anger. Black Thunder just stared at her for a while. She was still weak, she needed rest and food.

" Come on," he dragged her to her feet and towards the bed.

" Noooo," Ororo cried in terror and began screaming, hitting, biting and kicking like a wild animal. Black Thunder lost his grip on her and she ran to the door. She succeeded in opening it before Black Thunder grabbed her from behind and forced her back with him and cuffed her to the bed again before quickly closing the door but not before Ororo had seen a long hallway with a lot of doors, the air filled with screams and men standing guard to the wall. 

" Let's hope they didn't see you," Black Thunder said with a hint of accusation as he picked up the bag and began emptying it on the small table. He noticed the fork.

" You used this to undone the cuffs?" Ororo didn't answer. " Cleaver." 

He put the fork out of her reach, on another small table next to the door. He went back and began to organise the things in the bag. There was a big bread, some butter and cheese which made Ororo realise how hungry she was. Fear and terror mixed with anger were still her most dominant feelings but hunger was beginning to take their place. Black Thunder took forth two small jars and went to her. 

" Noo," her fear returned and against her will she drew back from him, lifting her free hand in front of her face in an old age gesture of protection. 

" I will not hurt you," Black Thunder said softly and placed the jars besides her and took off the lit.

" This lotion will help your wounds to heal faster." 

While in sick bay he had grabbed the jars for Ororo. He knew they should have been saved for more serious cases as the lotion were also a local anaesthetic but the others didn't matter. They were all as good as dead anyway. No, all what mattered was this woman. Even now in her anger and confusion he felt she spoke to him like none other ever had, maybe save Silver Moon. Black Thunder left her to arrange the food on a big plate. For a while Ororo just eyed the lotion suspiciously before making a grab for one of them and when he didn't stop her, she applied some lotion to the cuts and marks on her chest. What she really wanted right now was to take a hot shower which would last forever. She felt…dirty, like she'll never get clean again. But she couldn't ask for one, wouldn't be in his debt. Silence fell over the room until Black Thunder placed the plate on the floor next to her with a jug he had just been to the bathroom to fill with water before seating himself cross-legged on the floor in front of her. Ororo felt uncomfortable by his nearness and tried to move away but the bed stood against the room's far wall. She couldn't get away. She cursed her fear and her instinct withdrawal every time he came near. She didn't want to be this weak. She couldn't afford to. Black Thunder pretended not to notice as he cut the bread. He raised the plate to her but she forced herself to turn her face away even as the smell of food made her mouth water. And not just food…she eyed the water longingly. She never knew until this moment that water actually smelled for she could smell it now. 

" You should eat. You are weak. You need to regain your strength," Black Thunder observed but didn't push her as he placed the plate on the floor and took a piece of breed and took some cheese on it which he had cut in slices on the table; putting a knife near Ororo would be suicidal so he had given up on the butter. For a while she just eyed him until her hunger won over her pride and she drank from the glass of water he had put in front of her before quickly snapping a piece of bread as if she was afraid that he'll remove it any moment. She took the whole piece of bread in her mouth all at once, amplifying that she did indeed believe he'll remove the food from her. They ate in silence until Black Thunder spoke,

" The captain, your friends, everyone believes you to have been killed."

 Ororo looked shocked at him. Her friends….they'll all be so worried and grieve her passing. If they had the time for that. She remembered that the captain had said he'll send them all to work. What did he want with her, she wondered. 

" Why?" she couldn't help but ask, forgetting her rule of caution and silence. He gave her a blank stare before continuing,

" If anyone finds you outside this room, you will be killed and so will I. I will undo your cuffs just as long as you promise to stay in here," he gestured to his small room. Anger appeared in her eyes.

" And do what, exactly? Please you? I would rather die," she spat and eyed him with murder in her eyes.

" No," he saw she didn't believe him. " I know it most have been hard for you but I…" he began softly.

" You know? You know about this?" Ororo´s voice was raising to a high pinch and her eyes blasted fury and behind that; pain. " You have been raped? You have felt hands on your body, touching you, tearing your clothes apart. Men laughing at your screams and attempts to flee, men bargaining over you about who to do what first. Being forced to….forced to…..," Tears rolled freely from her eyes now and she was crying hysterically, hugging herself. 

" Ororo, I….I only wish to help," Black Thunder said gently and reached for her.

" Don't touch me! Stay away from me!" She tried to back away from him and he made it easier as he backed away from her. 

" I know you are suffering…." he tried again, trying to make her see reason.

" You?" She eyed him with disbelief and contempt in her voice. " What do you know about pain? You have turned on your own, killing mutants and working for a government which holds slaves."

" You have no right to judge me," his voice had suddenly become cold but she was too angry to care about the warning signals he was sending.

" I have every right. So, tell me, how does it work? You kill disobedient slaves for the captain and get some free time with the goods?" She asked with contempt. 

" What I do is none of your business. In case you failed to notice, I saved your life!" Black Thunder said and for the first time since Ororo had been introduced to him, he had raised his voice. 

" Only to get something from me. So, get it over with. I'm a slave and do as I'm told but don't  expect me to enjoy it," her words were in constant to her angry and defiant stare yet she meant every word. She'll rather she got this over with than wait for him to make a grab for her in the night.

" I don't need to learn a slave's place," Black Thunder said, his voice dangerously low. " I was born by a Native woman and a Ghenoshain man. They lived with her people. However the Ghenoshain government hated the Natives as much as your government did. They came to the village, killing and torturing everyone. My grandfather, Brave Eagle, didn't understand why they did it. He offered horses, all he owned in exchange for his peoples lives. The soldiers didn't listen. They forced him to watch as they killed my mother and tortured my father. They cut up his babies and when they were done, only he was left. He begged them to kill him too but they had something else in mind. Something worse. They let him live," Black Thunder had stood up and was now pacing the floor, his voice expressing emotions for the first time but it was hatred and bitterness. 

" My grandfather didn't have anywhere to go. All villages he came to for a little food, turned him away. A warrior's pride is his life but in the end he lost even that. In his last years he begged for food before finally dying when some white villages accused him of stealing bread. It was later discovered that a young boy from the village had taken it, still too young to know he shouldn't have," he continued and his hatred for these men, these white villages were so strong that Ororo flinched. It was as if he knew her unasked question for he said,

" I wasn't in the village when the massacre happened. I had gone hunting against my father's wishes. I wanted to show my friends that even though I had fairer skin than them I was as good a warrior as anyone," Black Thunder stopped, getting lost in memories. A stupid wager with a friend had held him away. Had made him survive what he shouldn't have. Many times during his life, he had felt that it had been better if he had died that day. At least then, he'll be with his family. At peace. 

"….and you?" Ororo asked softly. Hearing of his life had made her forget her own and all what had happened even for just a little while. She even found herself feeling sorry for him.

"The captain took me in. Trained me," his voice was even again, calm and he turned to face her.

" You grew up here?" She indicated the room and the building. He nodded.

" I have been a slave all my life," he simply said. All alone, never knowing the love of a mother or father for so many years. Ororo felt sympathy for him though she knew that even the best man could be twisted; especially if evil was all he saw. She had a feeling he wasn't telling everything but for now it would have to do. As he sat by her again, she really noticed the scar on his face. Following her curious glance he turned the side to her, giving her a full view of the ugly scar. He got up and went to the small table by the door. He took a scissor from the drawer under the table and took off his west. He clipped off his bandage and as he unfolded it she saw the dried blood on it and the fresh marks on his back, laying above layers of other marks on his back, speaking of years of abuse. As he turned his front to her she saw all the cuts, bruises and scars on his chest. She drew a sharp breath in horror.

" I'm….sorry," she whispered as he went to the other side of the bed. Black Thunder merely nodded. 

" Don't be. I've seen and done worse," he said quietly and there was a warning to his tone though what exactly he was warning her against she did not know. She didn't know what to say so she said nothing.

"I will take off the cuffs if you promise not to escape. Even if you killed me, you'll have nowhere to go. As soon as you reach the hallway, the guards will either shot you or use the control over your collar," he continued and nodded to the collar they both wore. Ororo seemed to seriously think about it. She wanted to get away, she wanted to free the others. But he was right. She had seen the guards. She wouldn't come far and she'll certainly never reach the others in the cell. And even if she did that she didn't have the control to undo the force shield. She eyed Black Thunder. He had the codes to the shield. If she could get him to tell her….and then….Well, she wasn't sure but she'll think of something. She smiled sweetly at him.

" I won't try to escape," Ororo said and he went to her.

" Give me your word," he asked as he took forth the key to the cuffs.

" You'll trust my word?" Ororo asked disbelieving.

" Yes. Had you been white I probably wouldn't. Old hate dies slowly and the flame will always burn even when you think it died long ago," Black Thunder said seriously. 

" Then I give my word," Ororo pledged. Now she had a problem. She didn't go back on her word when given. But then maybe she could find a way around that. If Black Thunder was on her side, it wouldn't be escaping. He undid her cuffs and moved away from her, feeling his nearness still made her uncomfortable.

" Can I use the bathroom?" Ororo asked.

" Yes."

When Ororo came out Black Thunder went to the bathroom. He came back and looked from Ororo sitting in a corner to the only bed in the room.

" You take it," Black Thunder said and he didn't have to tell her twice. It had been long since she had felt a real bed beneath her and felt just a sense of security about it. Soon she was under the covers. As Black Thunder got ready to sleep on the floor she felt sorry for him.

" You can…..we can share," she said and made room for him on one side of the bed. The shiver which ran through her didn't miss his eyes.

" Are you sure?" 

" Yes," she lied. It had seemed like a good idea before. Now, she regretted it. Black Thunder went to the other side but before going to bed he took the pillow and two others from a drawer and put them on the bed as a wall between them. When he laid himself on the bed on the other side of the pillows Ororo couldn't see him and she felt calmer, more secure. 

" Thanks," she mumbled softly.

"….Welcome," he finally said. There were a long silence before Ororo said,

" I know of the similarities between the way the Ghenoshain and the American government treated and still treat the Native population. I…I just wanted you to know that I have nothing to do with it. I grew up in Africa," There was a long silence and she thought he might have fallen asleep.

" I knew a woman of such courage and beauty could not be like that. Besides you have been blessed by The Great Spirit," His voice too, was low but a sense of kindness had entered it.

" What do you mean?" Ororo whispered. 

" The Great Spirit let the sun shine so brightly on you and your people that you gained a even darker colour than my people, marking you as one of His favourites of all creations," Black Thunder explained. He had thought he had forgotten that old tale long ago.

" Hum, you should have told Hitler that. Or quite a few people in America and around the globe," Ororo said with a small smile. 

" We all have skeletons in our closet," Black Thunder said mysteriously and she knew that meant the discussion was over. When she closed her eyes, her dreams were confusing, one part a nightmare of men reaching for her and one a picture of Black Thunder, standing at the end of a tunnel, waiting for her. She'll run to him but never reach him. Had she been able to remember the dream when she woke up, she'll have wondered if the dreams were a sign of things to come or a picture of what had been.              

TBC


	17. Part 16: Love And Pain

Part 16:

"Come on, we will meet the women here," Scott said as he lead Remy, Logan, Bobby and Peter into the big dining hall. There were guards all over the place and a big table was put in the middle of the room. Mutants had lined up to get a portion of whatever had been cooked together in the big pot. 

"All but Stormy," Remy said softly and Scott could hear the pain in his voice.

"We all miss Ororo," Peter said and lay his hand on Remy's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Come on," Scott said softly and lead them into the dinner hall, towards the table with food.

"I never thought I should say this but I miss Jubes," Bobby commented and tried to hide the depth of his concern for the Asian-American girl with his trademark humour.

"She's fine, kid. Still workin' with that Doc in the hospital," Logan said and scanned the room for Rogue. They had been going to the mines for some three weeks now. Every day Scott would hold a small pep talk for them, making that two a day as he also said one every morning in the cell before the team parted for the day's work. When in the mine they'd work fast to fulfil their quota and then try to find a way out or discuss escape plans. So far they hadn't been ably to come up with a plan that had even a minimal chance of succeeding. John, Jubilee and the Professor still worked at the hospital and returned at night to sleep in the cell. They ate with the slaves in the hospital wing and not with the others. Logan spotted Rogue coming towards them with Jean and Kitty and he lit up in a smile, as did all the men. Even though none said it out loud, the reason for the couples long morning scenes was that they never knew if they'd see each other again. They had heard rumours and whispers among the other slaves about mutants being taking away, never to be seen again. Some said that they were brainwashed into mindless slaves, others said that they were experimented on, and then killed. 

"Logan!" Rogue exclaimed and threw herself into his open arms as she reached him, and he lifted her up and spun her around.

"Hello, lover," Jean said with a smile as she reached Scott who smiled warmly at her.

"My lady, may I follow you to your table?" he asked softly and smiled at her as she melted into his embrace and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"You may. You certainly may."

"Kitten! My Beloved Katherine," Peter said and ran to her, lifted her up and drew her into a kiss.

"I have missed you so much, Peter," Kitty whispered as she kissed him again. "WE have missed you so much," she corrected herself and Peter drew back and looked at her still flat stomach and laid his hand on it. His child, a new life grew inside Kitty's fragile body. A child conceived in freedom but condemned to grow up in captivity.

"I will get you out, douchka. I'll get us all out," Peter vowed as he kissed her again. He remembered when she had first told him about her pregnancy. He had been surprised, happy and sad all at ones. Happy because the child was a part of him and Kitty and a symbol of something good, a new life, a new beginning yet sad because the child would never know freedom. All the others had been a great help and Jean and Rogue always looked after Kitty at work, making sure she didn't exhaust herself. As she had told him about the child, he had promptly proposed to her. Not out of some sense of honour even though he did want the child to have a father, but because he loved Kitty and wanted them to be a family. They had asked Black Thunder who came once a week to see to them if he could arrange for them to marry. He had said that the government didn't hold records of slaves marriages but he'll write them as a couple in their profiles, that way they'll have a greater chance to be sold together if their 'services' at the compound wasn't needed anymore. That night Scott wed them, something which had caused a lot of trouble as Peter was Russian Catholic and Kitty was Jewish. In the end Scott just tried to remember the vows said when one was married at City Hall. From somewhere - Peter didn't even want to ask from where - Remy had even been able to produce a plain gold band that Peter had placed on Kitty's finger at their "wedding". 

"Next mutant group; line up" a voice over the intercom demanded and the slaves formerly known as X-Men, lined up to get a bowl of whatever they were having tonight. 

"Let's see what's for tonight…Champion a la crème for first course, then tenderloin with new potatoes and to dessert we'll have chocolate mousse," Remy said as they stood in line and the substance which probably hadn't even seen a piece of meat, was thrown onto the slaves bowls. 

"Don't say that, sugah. You'll make me hungry after some real food," Rogue complained from within Logan's embrace. Remy looked longingly at her. Even after what must almost have been a month of hardship and life as a slave, she still looked radiant. Her face heart-shaped and fine, her lips full and red and her hair long brown with the white steaks down her back. He loved her and always would. Besides Stormy she was the only woman, maybe the only person, who he felt that strongly about. Personally, he thought that the entire world could go to Hell and beyond if only he could have Stormy by his side and Rogue in his arms. But that was not to be. Not matter how much he wanted it, no matter how much he needed their love, Stormy was gone and Rogue didn't and probably never would see him as more than a friend. 

"Come with me, Cheré, and I'll give you everything you want," Remy flirted with a seductive smile. Even though he knew he didn't stand a chance in her heart, he couldn't help trying, though her declines always brought him pain. 

"Remy," she said with a smile but above her head Logan gave the young man a warning look. Then his turn came up and his attention was forced onto the thing someone had called food. 

The group seated themselves by a table and began to eat their food. A group of guards passed them and shot glances after the women which worried Scott. He knew what had happened to Ororo and he didn't want it to happen again. But as he looked at the other mutants he could understand why the guards were drawn to their table. Almost all the other women in the room were already marked by the hardship of their lives and the pain in body and mind. Kitty, Rogue and Jean were undoubtedly the most beautiful women in the room. 

"Come, let's go to our room," Scott said and stood up before helping Jean to her feet. After dinning, the slaves could move about freely from the dinning hall to their cells. Armed guards followed their every move of course and by ten o'clock all mutants were locked up in their cells. It wasn't like they posed a threat anyhow. They were unarmed and wore the collars. One push on a button and the slave in question would fall to the floor, screaming in agony. As long as they wore the collars they could not win. 

"Alright," Jean agreed. She would like to spend some time alone with Scott in the cell before the others came back. Taking hold of his hand, she too stood up.

"You be careful. I don't like the looks those guards cast this way," Scott warned as he moved away with Jean.

"We will, Slim," Logan said and hugged Rogue closer to him. He'll rather die than see her harmed in any way. 

As Scott and Jean reached the hallway he saw seven guards following them. He walked faster towards their cell and took off his shirt as he walked.

"Here, take this," Scott said and handed Jean his shirt.

"Why? What am I to do with this?" She asked confused but as she turned and looked behind them and spotted the guards, fear entered her eyes. She had loved Ororo as a sister and still grieved her death, though with the life she now lead, there was little time for tears. Only in her nightmares could she imagine what kind of agony the beautiful white haired woman had had to endure before death had claimed her.

"Use it as a veil. Cover your face. Maybe they'll pass us," Scott said and reached over and put the shirt around her face, tightening the sleeves beneath her face. Jean lifted up in it, trying to cover the lower half of her face. It was a desperate move; they both knew that but Scott felt like he had to do something, anything.

"Stop!" one of the guards behind them demanded. Jean looked at Scott.

"Keep moving," Scott said and urged her forward.

"Stop or we will shot," another voice said and Scott reluctantly drew to a halt and Jean did likewise. They waited, their angst building until the guards had reached them.

"Why were you in such a hurry to get away, mutant? That you have only one eye shouldn't prevent you from seeing us and so far your ears don't seem to be damaged," one of the guards said to Scott. He was a big man with a not unpleasant face. 

"I….We just wanted to have a few moments alone," Scott explained and eased Jean behind him. Had this been in another time, another place, she would have stood beside him, unafraid. But not today. Not now. They both knew what was at stake here and that this was a battle that they'd lose before it had even begun. 

"She is your woman, slave?" the big one asked and nodded towards Jean who wisely tried to make herself invisible.

"She is," Scott answered.

"Very well. Move on but next time stop when ordered. Disobedience like this will earn you punishment, probably the loss of an ear," the guard warned and turned to go. Scott and Jean drew relieved breaths and started to move away. 

"Stop!" a young guard ordered and Scott was forced to do so. " You…" he pointed to Jean. " Step forward and remove the veil," he demanded and Scott didn't like the flash of lust in his eyes. He doubted that he even cared all that much about how she looked. He just wanted someone.

"Is this really…" Scott began but a guard hit him hard in the face, making him fall to the floor and efficiently silenced him as the young guard rudely grabbed Jean and tore the veil off her.

"Scott," she yelled as she uselessly fought against the man. She succeeded in kicking him in the balls and he lost his grip on her but as she ran to Scott another guard grabbed her. 

"Jean!" Scott yelled and stood up and didn't even notice the blood coming from his broken lip in his concern for her. He tried to run to her but two guards held him back. 

"Scott!" Jean yelled and kicked out after the guard holding her.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you? But I'll cure that real fast," the young guard said as another guard helped the first one so she too was held by two guards as the man hit her in the face. Had the guards not held on to her, the power of the blow would have sent her to the floor.

"You leave her alone, you bastards!" Scott spat and again fought against the two men who held him. He kicked out and broke free but a third guard blocked his way and he was caught again.

"Damn mutant slave!" one of the guards who had held him said angrily and while the two others held him up, he hit Scott in the stomach, making him buckle over but the guards forced him upwards again for another hit. 

"What are you doing? This isn't protocol," the big man protested but the young guard looked angrily at him.

"We are entitled to some pleasures and that we'll have. You don't want to, you can leave," he hissed and forced Jean's head to stand still so he could force his tongue into her mouth.

"For Gods sake," the big one said and shook his head. Seeing he couldn't stop it, he left the scene.

"No, help us," Scott yelled after him but the man kept going, never looking back. Anything else Scott wanted to say was caught short as he was hit again, all the air leaving his lungs. He felt and heard a rib break as one guard hit him in the chest. The pain made him wince but that pain was nothing complained to what he felt as he looked at Jean. The bastard had now torn off her blouse, leaving her naked to the waist.

"Leave…..her….be," Scott got out through pained breaths. 

"Will you shut him the fuck up. I can't concentrate," the young guard complained as his eager fingers stroked Jean's face. She bit after his finger, anger blazing in her eyes and he drew his hand to him and hit her across the face again, her face flying to the side.

"Now, be a good girl and stand still," he demanded as he took her under the chin and forced her to face him. His fingers ran over her chest and breasts and she shivered and fought uselessly against the guards who held her.

"You can take my body but it will not be me. It will not be me!" Jean cried out, tears forming in her eyes as he took forth a knife and caught away her pants, leaving her naked and shivering in the dark and cold hallway. 

"Jean," Scott got out as he saw her. He had to get to her. He had to. He tried again to come to her but by now he was so weak that the resistance he could give the guards was a joke. 

"I told you to shut him up," the young guard complained as he undid his pants and Jean tried to draw back from him.

"Damn mutant won't shut up," the guard in front of Scott complained as he hit Scott again. He heard another rib break and the two guards who had held him, let him fall to the floor.

"Jeannnn," Scott whispered weakly as he lay on the cold stone floor and reached out his hand to her. 

"Persistent fellow," a guard said as the three men looked down at him before blows began to rain all over him. He tried to avoid their kicks and tried to crawl towards Jean but a kick to his midsection made him fall flat on his stomach. A kick to his head made him lose her from his vision as he had just seen the young guard draw nearer and he instantly culled up in a ball to protect his head and chest from the blows. It was no use however as the blows kept coming. He bled from countless wounds and had several broken ribs but what hurt him the most was the scream that was torn from Jean's lips.

"...Jeannnnnnnnnn," Scott's weak voice uttered before darkness finally claimed him as the blows kept coming. 

"Scott," Jean yelled desperately as she looked at him lying defenceless on the floor, kicks and blows raining all over his body, still weak from the torture earlier. 

"I'd worry about myself if I was you," the young guard said with a leer as he touched her lips with one hand and again she tried to bite him but he just laughed. "When I'm through with you no man will ever want to touch you again. Not even that…thing you call mate," he spat angrily and drew her up in a rude embrace and the other men let go of her, going over to see if they couldn't get some fun out of Scott. His hands were soon all over her and her attempts to escape were useless. He was much stronger than her, especially after almost a month on that stuff some misguided fool had called food, and she had never trained in hand to hand combat without the aid of her powers. As he touched her she closed her eyes, tears forcing their way through her closed lids. She thought of Scott. Of a trip they had taken to Hawaii last year. She thought of the sun and the stars. She thought of his love and she thought of the warm sand beneath her feet. Lost in her own mind as deeply as only a telepath can, Jean's body became limp in the guard's arms and a small smile was on her face as she had succeeded in escaping to another time, another place. A place that existed only in her mind. 


	18. Part 17: A Light Still Shines

Part 17:

" I think we have given the lovebirds enough time alone. Come," Logan said and pulled Rogue up with him. 

" You're coming?" Logan asked Kitty and Peter. Kitty sat in Peter's lap, their hands intertwined.

" You just go ahead. We'll come when they call at ten," Peter answered but looked into Kitty's eyes and not at them. After their capture they had all realised that time was something they might not have an ocean of. To give the couples some privacy, Bobby had walked to another table and now talked with some of the other slaves while Remy was trying to explain some card tricks to some younger children without the aid of cards, which wasn't easy.

" Alright," Logan said and taking Rogue by the hand, they existed the dinner hall. As soon as they were out in the hallway Logan took Rogue in his arms and kissed her.

" Have I ever told you how much I love you, Marie?" Logan asked seriously as they drew apart. He touched her face, enjoying the feel of her. They had touched and kissed but still he hadn't been able to bring himself to make love to her in this place. He wanted to give her more than that. She deserved the first time to be more, to be better, to be perfect.

" With everything but words," Rogue answered and kissed him again. " And I love you" she said as she drew back and Logan smiled. A movement caught his eye and he saw three guards coming towards them.

" Come," he said and taking her by the hand, he dragged her quickly towards their cell. Coming from the dinner hall, one could walk two ways to their cell. Scott always walked right which made Logan always walk left. He didn't mind Scott anymore. In fact in those weeks they had all worked in the mines, all men had formed a strong bond. In times like this, there was no time for petty differences to stand between them. But…..some habits died hard.

" Stop or we'll shot," a guard shouted and Logan reluctantly drew to a stop, Rogue doing the same besides him. She looked scared up at him as the men drew nearer.

" I'll never let them hurt you," Logan vowed and hugged her close to him as the guards caught up with them.

" Well, well. What have we here? A pretty little thing," one of the guards said and reached for Rogue, touching her face. 

" Get your filthy hands off my woman!" Logan yelled and a fury unlike anything he had ever felt, consumed him and for the first time he let it take complete control. Acting like an animal and not a man he pushed his mate behind him and sneered at the guards before he jumped at them. One of the guards activated his collar but he was too consumed by his anger to feel the pain. He got his hands on one guard and broke his neck. Throwing the body to the ground he jumped the guard with the control and began beating him up. He lost the control and Rogue ran to it and picked it up. She tried to push some buttons to stop the pain the collar was giving Logan.

" Fingerprints not recognised," a computer voice from the control panel said. Rogue went to the dead man and forced his finger onto the stop button.

" Non living being. Can not comply," the female computer voice said again and Rogue looked desperately around. Logan was still fighting the guard but now his friend had come to his aid and  Logan seemed to be losing, his anger no longer enough to keep him up. Desperate, Rogue threw the control against the wall and it broke into a thousand pieces. Logan stood up straight as the pain disappeared and with a roar he broke both men's necks, killing them. For a moment, he just stood there, the two bodies laying by his feet, blood on his hands. Rogue heard guards coming and grabbed Logan's hand, dragging him with her towards their cell. She ran and ran and didn't stop until they had reached the cell. Inside, the events all came back to her and she sank to the floor, crying. 

" Marie, lov. Don't cry. I can take anything but your tears," Logan whispered and took her into his embrace, stroking her hair.

" Touch me, hold me. Tell me you'll never leave me," Rogue begged and Logan took her under the chin, lifting her face so she could see his eyes.

" I promise. I love you," he said softly and brought his lips to meet hers. She drew him closer, deepening the kiss. His hands played with the buttons on the back of her blouse until he had opened it and he lifted it off her. 

" Ah love you," Rogue whispered as Logan kissed her again, his hands going to her chest. He stopped what he was doing and looked seriously at her.

" Is this what you really want?" 

She smiled at him.

"  Yes, this is what Ah want. This is what Ah need. Touch me, let me know you're real," she begged and Logan kissed her again before removing his shirt and laying it on the floor next to her. He lifted her up and placed her gently down upon it before kissing her again.

" I love you Marie," Logan whispered as he removed the rest of her clothes. " You are so beautiful," he said in awe as he looked upon her and she blushed before pulling him towards her again.

" Ah love you too, Logan. Let me show you how much," Rogue whispered as her tongue entered his mouth and she explored his mouth, tasted his breath and felt his teeth before playing tap with his tongue. Logan deepened the kiss and showed her that two could play that game. The two lovers were for a long while ignorant of anything but each other as they let their passion and love run free.


	19. Part 18: An unlikely Saviour

Part 18:

He had to get away. He couldn't do anything anyway. Joe almost ran down the corridor in a failed try to escape the red haired slave's screams and the brown haired man's protests. When the woman's cry echoed through the hallway Joe knew that he had to do something. He was an older man and had a daughter himself. He couldn't picture anything worse than seeing her go through what the red haired woman was. And not just that…he knew the young guard, Paul, was out of control. His hate for the mutant race was so strong that Joe feared he'd fulfil his threat of harming the woman so severely that she'll break down. 

He had reached the end of the hallway and down stood before the offices. He couldn't report this to the Captain. He'll never understand. To show sympathy towards the slaves meant that one considered them capable of emotions and that meant they were human. Joe didn't like what was being done against the mutant race but if they really were as dangerous as he had been told…he wanted his family to be safe. He would have preferred if the mutants were just exiled to an island or something but that wasn't up to him. No, the captain was out of the question. He would stop it. Joe knew that because he hated that kind of break in discipline but he also hated squealers. He'll receive punishment as well. His eyes settled on Michael's office. He barely knew the man. He was in many ways the Captain's right hand man and almost as feared among the soldiers and mutants…and as hated. But he did supervise the health of the slaves and when it came down to it….he was a mutant himself. Fearing the worst Joe entered Michael's office.

" Yes?" Michael asked as he stood by a drawer and checked his gun. 

_Oh, this is looking promising, Joe thought darkly._

" Hmm….I…." Joe began and didn't know how to say it.

" I'm on a time schedule here. Can we get on with it?" he asked, his voice low and emotionless as if he didn't sense the other man's nervousness.

" Down the corridor….towards cell block 32….there…that is…." Joe gave up again and Michael's eyes narrowed as he read something in what Joe didn't say that he didn't like. 

" Return to your post and send the cleaning team to me," Michael ordered as he went past Joe, his gun at the ready in his hand. He hurried down the corridor towards the cellblock and took the left way around. He spotted three guards lying on the floor and checked them. Dead. Neck broken. He picked up one of the controls to the collars and saw on the small screen the last minutes of the guards' life. The controls where made so they automatically recorded when the carrier's heartbeat quickened so when any rebelled slaves were found, they could quickly be identified and terminated. He saw two slaves, one a small, fragile looking woman with brown hair with white steaks to it and one man, grim in appearance, strong in built and fury in his eyes. It was some of the mutants that had been captured with Storm. He frowned in annoyance. Why did they have to be so much trouble? Damn. He couldn't just execute them. Storm would never forgive him for that and for some reason that meant a lot to him. He lifted his small handheld comlink to his lips and said into it;

" Michael to cleaning team; come to hallway left to cell block 32. Three bodies to be picked up."

" Slaves?" a voice asked.

" No, guards."

" Cause of death?" the voice inquired further and for once Black Thunder was sad that he had been so damn efficient when he had been ordered to bring order to the whole process around punishment and death for the soldiers and guards.

" Broken neck. They broke discipline rules 2b, 67c and 745d," Black Thunder claimed and hoped he could find some kind of dirt on the guards, otherwise his claim would be hard to prove. To his joy the voice on the other end believed him and said that the team was on its way. Black Thunder ran through the hallway and cast a look into the X-men's cell and saw the two mutants sitting close to each other, the woman leaning against the man's chest. Coming around a corner he saw six guards and two slaves. One guard, Paul, held a knife in front of the woman's face and a deep line ran across her cheek, blood running from it and dripping onto the floor. She was naked and he could see bruises, cuts and marks on her body. The marks were all fresh but it was the look in her eyes that made him sick. She held the same look of emptiness as Storm had when he had found her. But only, she was smiling as if she was remembering something beautiful, something nice that only she could see. On the floor, now a bloody mass, laid the man whom he had brought to Cecilia earlier. 

" Stop. At ones!" Black Thunder demanded and the guards moved away from the two mutants. As the red haired woman fell to the floor, her hands went out in front of her as if she reached for the unconscious man by her side, their broken bodies laying a little apart on the naked and cold floor.

" We were just havin' some fun, mate," Paul said with a evil leer " but then a _mutant as you would probably not understand that."_

" I understand just fine," Black Thunder replied and his tone held a dangerous edge that made the others look with fearful eyes at their leader. Paul must have sensed the change in him for he reached for his gun only to be cut down by Black Thunder's. He pointed his weapon at the others.

" Hey, we didn't touch the woman. We didn't do anything," one protested and drew back as his hand went to his weapon.

" You should have. You should have helped her," Black Thunder whispered but no one heard as five gunshots sounded and no one could doubt Black Thunder's claim that they had resisted arrest on grounds of discipline break. Black Thunder laid his jacket around the red haired woman and lifted her up in his arms. Without a word he carried her to the cell. He wished he could take her to Cecilia but he had no grounds for that. Physically she was fit for work.

" What the fuck…?" The man in the cell said as he saw Black Thunder moving towards the cell with Jean in his arms. 

" Jean??" The woman asked shocked. Black Thunder saw the fury in the other man's eyes as he stood up and dragged the woman with him, standing protectively before her. Not taking any chances after the handiwork he had seen in the corridor, Black Thunder activated the force field and stopped outside it while Logan growled warningly at him from the other side.

" I'll push her through now. Catch her," he ordered as he opened the force field and pushed the red haired woman through. Logan moved forth and caught her in his arms. He saw her blind stare and the bruises and cuts.

" You bastard!" he spat as he tried to cover her body in the jacket wrapped around her, not knowing it was Black Thunder's. Black Thunder said nothing as he left, the woman's cries and the man's curses following him. He reached the brown haired man he had taken to Cecilia earlier and took him in his arms. 

_Didn't that kid know how to stay out of trouble? He thought annoyed as he carried him to sickbay. Two visits to sickbay in a month. That got to be a record. _

" Healer," he said as he entered and laid the man…Cyclops on a bed. Damn, he even remembered his name. Why did Cecilia also have to tell him?

" Oh, hey. I was…..," she started with a smile but stopped as she saw the man. " Now what have you done?" she asked angrily as she went to his side and examined Scott.

" Me? He got himself into trouble this time, Medicine Woman," Black Thunder protested.

" Oh, my God. Scott," a young female voice said and Black Thunder saw a young Asian American woman with a leg in a splint humping towards them. She wished Bobby were here. She needed his smile and laughter now. Well, it wasn't like she'll ever admit that, of course.

" Stay away girl and bring the old man," Black Thunder ordered and the young woman stared angrily at him.

" He's over there. You bring him," Black Thunder looked at her through narrowed eyebrows and heard Cecelia's muffled laughter. Discipline was going out the window here and he didn't like it. Mumbling something about the girl being unable to bring the professor anyway Black Thunder left and found the older man sitting by a woman's bedside, holding her hand and talking in a calming tone to her even though she just stared up in the ceiling. He recognised the woman as Gabrielle who he had brought here himself some months back.

" You can forget her. She is dead in anything but body. Help the living instead," he said sharply as he picked the professor up and carried him towards the other man's bed.

" She'll wake up. I'm sure of it," the professor said confidently.

" You're sure? Where? In your mind…or in your heart?" Black Thunder whispered as he carried him over to Cyclops bedside and placed him in a chair.

" Scott!" the older man said and his voice held pain.

" He'll be alright," Cecilia calmed him. " But I need your help with bandaging him together. He has some broken ribs, bruises and cuts. Here, give me a hand…," she asked and he began helping her make a tight bandage around Scott's ribs. The Asian woman stood and watched with pained eyes at the man and Black Thunder took a hand and put it behind her back and moved her away.

" You're not helping anyone by standing there. Look to the other patients," Black Thunder said as gently as he could and although he saw the instant denial in her eyes a nod from the professor made her mumbled an "okay" and she left. On his way out a young man came from further down in the sick bay. He carried some dirty bandages in his hands. 

" Mr. Summers?" the man said in disbelief as he saw the man lying on the bed. 

" He's in good hands," Black Thunder commented as he passed him.

" I know," John answered as he watched Cecilia work. She really was incredible. All that pain and death yet she kept working. She never gave up. She was so filled with life and strength. In the time he had worked with her, he had found her to be the only sane thing in a world that had suddenly been turned upside down. Without her to look forward to, he doubted he could have managed to live like this. Like an animal in a cage. And just being here…seeing all that death and sorrow. One thing was to see so many people coming in here, beaten and broken but to see them die…to know that they were just thrown somewhere in a big grave and a number was erased from a list. That was all they were, work numbers and files. In his bitterness he caught Cecilia's brown eyes and she gave him a small encouraging smile before giving her full attention to Scott again. That Cecilia had been able to survive for so long….and still keep a part of her humanity with her was beyond him. He couldn't help smiling back at her. She was the light to the dark world where he now lived. One day…one day he'll tell her that. Tell her that her smile was what he thought of at night and her voice was the voice that comforted him when he felt alone. She was a beacon of light for him. In a world filled with cruelty she fought for life.

" Yeah, I think you do," Black Thunder mumbled to John as he went towards the door. " Cecilia, I'll bring him back to his cell in two days. Have him ready," he said as he exited. 

What was it he had been ordered to do before all this started? Oh, yes. A guard had been accused of helping slaves to escape and he was among those who should interrogate him. Black Thunder knew the accusations to be false so he had been on his way to pick up the soldier who had accused him to ask him a few questions instead. 

TBC


	20. Part 19: Between duty and temptation

Part 19:

He wasn't going to think about her, he wasn't going to think about anything. There wasn't anything to be said anyway. Despite his best effects an image of the brown skinned, write haired female slave he had rescued came to his mind. Damn! He didn't need this. Agitated he corrected his aim on his gun and fired 3 fast shots towards the wooded statue of a man, hitting the doll straight in the heart all three times. He holstered his gun and went over to a pushing bag in the gym, making the other guards present move out of his way, hate and fear in their eyes as they saw him. Damn them anyway, he thought darkly. He despised humans; they were all weak and cruel. The soldier he had interrogated earlier the same day about why he had falsely accused a guard of aiding slaves escape had cracked after only four hours of interrogation and he hadn't even done much more than threaten him and hit him a few times in the face; as said weak. After the soldier's confession that he had lied because the other man had stolen his girl Thunder had contacted the Captain who had ordered him to shoot the soldier which he had done with no emotions at all, it was an order to be carried out…nothing more. 

Thunder practiced hits and blocks, making sure every blow the punching bag received would be deadly had his opponent been a living being. Though he tried not to his thoughts still wandered. So much had changed in the past weeks. Somehow Ororo had awakened feelings in him he had thought long dead. He tried to argue with himself that saving her had been nothing but an instinct he should have ignored but didn't quite succeed. He had learned long ago that emotions and attachments equaled weakness and pain and he desperately tried to fight this beginning weakness that Ororo was turning into. It was stupid to even begin to consider or dream; this was the real world and in the real world things never worked out and people ended up dead. His concern was only for himself……or it used to be. Suddenly he wasn't sure if that was still the case. Why had he saved Ororo's friends? He had no reason to. He could have passed them by. Sure, he had never approved of the guards unwritten right to amuse themselves with the slaves but he also knew he couldn't stop them all and so he hadn't. He had run a great risk today. Joe was a loose end; he could rat him out to the captain that would surely mean he'd be punished. Maybe he should kill Joe just to be sure he didn't talk? He had no trouble doing so; Joe was human and no more to him than any other guard. However his disappearance would be noticed at once. Better to lay low a while and wait and see. 

Without thought, Thunder delivered hit after hit to the punching bag before he suddenly drew his knife and cut in the air where his opponent's throat would have been.

"You're dead," Thunder whispered lowly. The captain would have been proud of that……suddenly he remembered back, back to when his training had begun……..

***

Hit, kick, hit, kick, down, roll, up, hit-

His heel connected with the sandbag in a kick that could easily have killed a human. A hit followed, elbow in the solar plexus, a fist hammered against the place that would have been the fragile throat on a living being.

"Harder!" a sharp voice snapped, and Black Thunder gasped, drawing much-needed oxygen into his burning lungs, trying to follow the Captain's orders, and knowing deep down that he couldn't.

He never could. 

For each challenge he was given, another - and harder - waited on the other side. Faster, stronger, more ruthless, more lethal; twelve-year-old hands that could kill in a heartbeat, a mind that held no remains of a distant childhood, only cold determination. 

Weakness was a demon, mercy was its altar, conscience was its crusader, bravely battling the darkness that invaded Black Thunder's mind. 

Another kick, feeling the exhausting starting to set in. Hard military boots against the battered sandbag, again and again, each new movement a little harder, a little more efficient than the previous one. The crusader fought against him, trying to save the fragile mind beneath the brutal exterior, but was fighting a lost battle. 

He didn't want to be saved. 

Mercy was death; he'd seen that. The death of his family, his friends, all too weak and compassionate to fight, all victims to a hypocritical crusader that spoke of mercy but showed them none. 

"Again!" 

Black Thunder automatically obeyed the sharp order, kicking the sandbag again and again, until he felt something give up - not himself; never himself - but the seams that held the bag together. He gasped, feeling the air burning in his lungs, then stepped back and watched the stream of sand fall to the floor. 

"Better. Not good, but better," the gruff voice said, and the boy bowed his head slightly in admission of his shortcomings. 

He wasn't good, not yet, but he would change that. He would become what the Captain wanted him to be; he'd make the man proud that he took a small, frightened boy under his wings so long ago. Cold, lethal, obedient, devoted, dangerous, feared, admired, respected, merciless-

A killer. 

No, not a killer, never a killer - he didn't claim a life without reason, they deserved it, all of them, weak and merciful as they were. And they hated him for it, he could see it in their eyes. They hated a twelve-year-old boy, and yet they feared him for who he was, what he could do.

Everyone, except the Captain who'd seen his potential and accepted him as his own flesh and blood. And yes, it was hard, and yes, the punishment for failure was never pleasant, the scars on his back attested to that, but-

-But pain meant that he was loved. It meant that the Captain cared enough to push Black Thunder to his limits and beyond, to let the boy claim the power that was rightfully his. Not like the others, his family, the prisoners, who all wanted him to be kind and generous and merciful, like them, and like them, it would have *killed* him, he knew that.

They feared him, they feared his potential, and he hated them for it. They should have protected him, shouldn't they, but instead they'd cut off his wings and made him weak, fragile, helpless, merciful-

Human.

He clenched his fists, felt the short nails dig into the flesh, but ignored it. He wasn't human, not anymore. He refused to be - he'd seen what happened to humans, weak and pathetic as they were.

They died...and he was a survivor.

"You may take a break now," the Captain said, and Black Thunder bowed, then walked to the corner where two bottles of water were lying on the ground. He hated himself for being so weak that the Captain had to let him relax before the training continued...if he had been good enough, his body, weak and fragile as it was, wouldn't have needed the brief pause.

But that would change, he knew that. He would be stronger and faster, and every bit as lethal and obedient as the Captain wanted him to be.

He'd make him proud. Someday.

Black Thunder knew that.

***

Thunder delivered a final kick to the punching bag before he wiped the sweat from his forehead and went out of the gym. 

He had succeeded what he had sworn he would as a child. He was faster, stronger and just as lethal and obedient as the Captain wanted him to be and he would continue to be obedient. He owned the Captain his life….he wanted him to be proud of him. He wouldn't let Ororo cloud his mind. He wouldn't.

Yet as he walked down the corridor towards his room, it was her image and not the captain's he saw in his mind's eye.

------------------

Author's notes: I need to thank a lot of people for this chapter. First and foremost Sorcieré who got so fascinated with BT that she wrote a better part of this chapter; BT's flashback to be precise. Thanks so much, lov. You're the best!  
Also thanks to Estelle for the great FB and wonderful Beta. Miss you lots, sweetheart.  
Finally thanks to wolvie025 whose kind FB got me to finally post this chapter.  
Thanks for all the support for this story; it means so much to me and keeps me writing. I hope you'll continue to like this story as it evolves. Thanks so much!  
Love  
Nadja


	21. Part 20: How To Heal Jean

Part 20:

"Tovarisch, what has happened?" Peter asked shocked as he and Kitty came into the cell a little before ten. Jean lay with her head in Rogue's lap, her body only covered with two jackets, one of them obviously belonged to Logan as he was now bare-chested. Logan sat on the floor beside Jean. 

" That bastard raped her," Logan growled, his eyes filled with hatred.

" What? Who?" Bobby asked as he came forth from behind Kitty to see what was happening and drew a sharp and shocked breath as he saw Jean.

" Oh dear Lord. Jean," Kitty mumbled and went from Peter's embrace to sit beside Rogue with her. What scared her the most was not the red welt on Jean's cheek but the emptiness in her stare. Even the small smile on her lips seemed creepy.

" That guy who was with the captain. Michael or Black Thunder or whatever," Logan grunted. " When I see him again he'll pay for this. He'll fucking pay. Big time."

" Why isn't she responding? Why is she just staring straight ahead like that?" Kitty asked in a tinny voice. It was really disturbing.

" Ah don't know. She was like this when Thunder brought her in here," Rogue said, feeling as frustrated as Kitty.

" Where is Scott? Maybe if she saw him…..," Bobby suggested hesitantly, not knowing what to do but needing to do something.

" We don't know where he is. One-Eye never came back," Logan admitted as he took Rogue's hand in his to try and give her some comfort. Peter took off his jacket and bent down and placed it over Jean's body to try and warm her more.

" She needs clothes," Peter said, always the voice of logic.

" How do you suppose we give her that?" Bobby asked sarcastically, his frustration making his voice sharp. " You brought the new Versage spring collection with you?"   

" Kitty, you work with Jean and Rogue in the Palace. Isn't one of your jobs to repair clothes?" Peter asked his wife and totally ignored Bobby.

" Well, yes," Kitty said. " Oh, of course. We can make clothes for her."

" What do you mean 'we'? Ah can't sew," Rogue protested as Kitty brought forth the sewing set she had taken into their cell. In the month or so they had worked here they had been allowed to try and make their cell a little more comfortable. The walls were still bare and there still was only one bed which Scott and Logan fought over because Logan wanted the bed for Rogue alone while Scott wanted the bed to go on rounds around the women and all the women generally just wanted the men to stop fighting and let the bed go on round between them all. 

The team had each taken something with them to the cell, that being a bowl, a blanket or in Kitty's case, her sewing gear. She brought it and took the blanket Peter gave her and began making it into a pair of pants, Indian style. It wasn't the most important thing to do, making clothes, but it took her mind off Jean and her unseeing eyes. She couldn't do anything else for her but this so that she did. It helped ease the feeling of helplessness.

" What happened here? Jean?" the professor asked worried as the older soldier who always carried him back and forth gently placed him on the floor.

" You alright?" the older man asked the professor and sounded as if he felt guilty over the professor's distress at seeing Jean like that.

" Oh, yes, Joe. Thank you," Xavier said distracted as his eyes were focussed on Jean. With a last look at the woman laying with her red haired head in Rogue's lap the old man left and the team was reunited for the night.

" Jubii!" Bobby said happily as he saw her and she humped over to stand beside him.

" What happened?" she asked as she saw Jean.

" We don't know," Bobby admitted sadly. His hand found hers and held it lightly. She pretended not to notice and let it stay there.

" First Mr. Summers and now this," John said sadly. He wished Cecilia were here. She'll know what to do.

" What? What did you say? What has happened to Scott?" Kitty asked from the corner where she sat quietly with Peter and tried desperately to pretend everything was alright.

" He was brought to sick bay, badly beaten. Cecilia and I bandaged him. Black Thunder will take him back here in two days," Xavier said and suddenly sounded very tired. Everything seemed to be going wrong. If it wasn't because he felt he made some progress with Gabrielle he would never have come so far without breaking down. He had failed in the worst possible way. His students…his children were now suffering.  But Gabrielle…she was like a ray of sunshine. Just today he had gotten her to point to the colours on some pictures when he asked her to. She didn't talk, she never did but she did respond. The joy, the pride he had felt in her achievement had made his day. 

" Black Thunder! He was the bastard who did this to Jeannie!" Logan roared angrily, his right hand forming a fist.

" Are you sure? He doesn't…" Xavier began but Jubilee interrupted him.

" What does it matter who did what? Shouldn't we try and find a way to bring her back?"

" I still say that bringing Scott to her would be the best thing," Bobby said.

" If only Stormy was here. She'll know what to do," Remy whispered lowly, pain in his voice and Kitty gave him a sympathetic smile. Remy's love for both Storm and Rogue wasn't a big secret for anyone but Rogue. Remy always told of his feelings very clearly but somehow he always seemed to be standing with the shortest strew and Kitty felt sorry for him for that. Remy was a good guy. He deserved some love. Kitty looked at Rogue and sighed. Well, one can't force love and Rogue did love Logan as much as he loved her. It really was one big emotional mess on top of everything else. Her eyes found Peter's and she smiled up at him and drew deeper into his embrace. Well, at least she had some certainties in this crazy world. She had Peter and his love and for that she'll always be thankful.

" I agree with you, Bobby. Let's see in two days when Scott returns if not she'll feel better."

TBC

Author's notes: For Wolvie who asked for this with thanks to Estelle for Beta and Sorcieré for great help.


	22. Part 21: Scott Returns To Jean

Part 21:

Black Thunder supported Cyclops through the hall. Scott's only thoughts while in sick bay had been on Jean; all the pain he had felt then and still felt now was nothing compared to the fear he had for Jean. No one had known what had happened to her or they hadn't wanted to tell him. He prayed she was alright yet he feared the worst. Thinking about Jean brought back the unpleasant memories of that night which still haunted him at night and every time he closed his eyes. 

" Why did you save us?" the younger man asked and Black Thunder was so long in answering that Scott thought he wouldn't say.

" What was done against you was a break of discipline," he then said as they turned a corner and neared the cell. That and then Ororo would surely have killed him if she should have gotten news of what had happened if he hadn't interfered, he thought before he could stop himself. Why should he care what she would think of him? It shouldn't matter…but he found it did; a lot.

" So, if not for the sake of discipline Jean and I could rot in Hell?" Scott asked harshly and tried to pull a little away from the other man but had to admit that he needed his support. Black Thunder looked directly at him, his black eyes unreadable.

" That's right." 

They reached the cell and since it was almost 2 in the night all the X-men were inside, drowsing but few were actually asleep because of the uncertainty of it all and Jean's distress.

" Scott!"

" Mr. Summers."

" You're back."

" Are you alright?"

Xavier, John, Bobby and Kitty inquired as they were the first to spot him. Black Thunder had pushed Scott, more than a little ungently, through the force shield before Logan woke up and was aware who was at the shield. As Logan saw the other man his eyes filled with fury and he stood just at the other side of the shield, his eyes promising a slow death to his enemy and his hands formed fists.

" I'll kill you, you sick bastard," Logan promised, the vow being reflected in his eyes. Black Thunder looked as if he wanted to say something but apparently changed his mind and simply walked away.

Scott's eyes found Jean. She was lying on the floor, dressed in what looked like a remade blanket. She had a beginning scar on her cheek but what froze his heart was the emptiness of her stare. Had they……..? Yes, they had. His heart sank. He hadn't been able to save her. It was all his fault. He had done this to her…………oh, God………..what she must have gone through……… 

" Jean! Oh God. Is she alright?" Scott's voice was filled with fear and pain as Peter helped him to sit down beside her, careful not to touch his wounds or bandages.

" Physically, yes," John answered softly but still wished Cecilia had had the opportunity to look at her. 

" Jean," Scott whispered and took her hand in his as he sat beside her. Was this what Ororo had gone through? All alone? His heart ached for her as it did for Jean. He stroked her cheek but she didn't response, just stared with a small smile on her lips straight ahead.

" Why doesn't she respond?" Scott asked worried, panic entering his voice.

" She is gone. Lives inside her own mind," Remy explained as he saw Jean's far away look. If one should go it really wasn't a bad way to do it. At least ones mind would be at peace no matter what happened to the body. He hoped that Ororo had died with peace of mind if not peace of body.

" I swear that if she doesn't wake up I'll not rest until I have hunted down and killed every last one of those damned guards and soldiers," Scott vowed hotly and Xavier knew that he meant it. In that moment, in his pain and grief, he really was ready to take a life.

" Count me in, bub," Logan said as he sat with Rogue on his lap by the end wall.

" And me, mon ami. Stormy didn't deserve this and neither did she," Remy said and the others nodded their agreement; wanting to protect and avenge their friends but to kill…there the three X-men were on their own. The others still held on to a dream, any dream and couldn't…wouldn't break it. Not yet.

" Oh Jean. I love you so much. Please come back to me. I need you," Scott whispered as he gathered her gently in his arms and kissed the top of her head. For a moment her eyes flashed but then they returned to their unstaring state. The others slowly began to go back to sleep as it appeared Jean wouldn't wake up and all would have to be up for work again at six. Kitty fell asleep safe within Peter's arms, Logan wrapped his arms around Rogue and during the night Bobby's hand had sneaked its way around Jubilee. 

It was four in the night and all slept but Scott. He still held on to Jean's hand and still talked to her as he had since he had come back. If Cecilia knew what her patient did to himself she would chain him to a bed, instantly.

"….Jean, come back to me. There is no danger anymore. I swear I'll take care of you. I'll protect you….*sob* I'm so sorry that I failed you…..I'm sorry….It is all my fault…I'm so sorry, so sorry….*sob*…please forgive me…" Scott whispered and tears fell from his eyes and he bent his head in shame. It was all his fault. Had he just been stronger, had he just taken the other way, had he just…

" ..It…wasn't…your…fault…Scott….." a weak but definitely well known and loved voice said and Scott lifted his head and looked…into Jean's green…living…eyes. 

" Oh, beloved. I love you so much. Please forgive me….," Scott whispered and hugged her and she hugged him back so tightly his wounds began aching but in that moment he couldn't feel the pain. 

" It's alright, Scott. It will all be alright," she comforted and Scott drew back with a small smile.

" Now see? I should be the one comforting you, not the other way around," he protested softly.

" I like helping you," she whispered and wiped his tears away with her hand. 

"Did they…..was it bad?" as he saw the haunted look in her eyes he wished he hadn't asked but something in him had needed to know.

" ….It was but I pulled through," she said and now she tried to hold back tears as memories of eager hands touching her all over came back to her mind. She doubted she would ever be the same again. She felt different, dirty somehow……..violated. She wished more than anything to be able to go back in time and undone it all……….or to forget. She wanted to forget but as a telepath she was cursed with a perfect memory; she never would, never could forget.

" I'm sorry. So sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. She touched his cheek.

" Do you know what saved me? What I thought of? Where I went in my mind?" She asked softly. " I saw you. I imagined your arms and your kisses and your love. You pulled me through. You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn't do this to me." 

As she said it she meant it with all her heart but somewhere in her mind she was scared and angry and the thought; "Why me? They didn't do this to him?" flashed through her mind but she was determined to bury it. Bitterness and accusations wouldn't help anything.

" Jean, I…" he began but stopped. What could be said which hadn't already been said? " I love you," he settled with simply saying and opened his arms in invitation and without hesitation she went into his embrace. She didn't fear his touch, not this light touch anyway. She knew it would take a very long time before she could allow any nearer touch than this but she also knew he would never hurt her. She knew that his love for her was real.

" And I love you," she replied and hoped that their love would also bring them through this crisis. There would be bumps in the road ahead, they both knew it but if they worked together, if they respected each other's feelings and gave each other time and space to heal they could pull through, they would survive. Their love had lived through so much already. It would survive this as well. She couldn't do this without him. As if he sensed her thoughts he gathered her in his arms and held her through the night. She fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. Safe in his arms. Safe in his love. 

TBC


	23. Part 22: Ororo and BT Talk

Part 22:

" Ororo?" Black Thunder asked a he entered his room. He heard crying from the bathroom and hurried in there. He saw Ororo on the floor before the mirror, her body and hair wet from a shower and a towel wiped loosely around her body.

" Ororo, what is it?" He asked concerned as he carefully pressed her closer to him. She didn't pull back but leaned in closer. She had lived with him for a month now and although she missed the others she had quickly adapted and accepted that she couldn't leave. But that didn't mean she couldn't plan. She had come up with one plan after another of how to rescue her team-mates, one more unlikely than the other. She had without hesitation told him of her plans of trying to rescue the others, only four days after he had brought her to his room. He had doubted her sanity for first of all telling him and second of all by the nature of her plans which had often been more fiction than have any hold on reality.  She had asked him to help her try and break the others free and although he had protested that he really wanted to just be here, with her, as safe as they'll ever be, he couldn't say no to her. He had long missed a woman in his life. Someone to live for and he didn't want to lose her so he had agreed to try and help her. After all he did want to see the others freed, all of them but he just seriously doubted that such a wish had any hold at all in reality and his own survival would have to come first, as it always had. 

Most of her plans had started with them getting the collars off and she using her powers over the elements to push resistance down. His powers of healing and flight could do little in a fight. For all intends and purposes, he'll be useless in a battle, at least power wise. She'll have to be the one to save them. But it all came back to getting the collars off and even he didn't know how they came off so they were back to square one. 

" The...mirror…my body….my hair…," she whispered as tears fell from her eyes and onto his shirt as she leaned against his shoulder. Black Thunder stroked her hair. She had been so strong all through the first four weeks. Even at night when she had awoken with a scream or when she had flickered at his gentlest touch she had refused to talk about it, she had dedicated herself to find a way to free the others. Why had she broken down now? Was it the mirror? He never should have brought it but he thought a woman would have liked to see herself so he had found one and put it up last night.

" What is it with your body?" he asked softly as she drew back from him. She looked at him with fury in her eyes.

" Are you blind? I'm hideous. See these marks…see my hair!" She demanded and showed the burn marks on her arms which had left small circles and her chopped hair which had left her once so long and beautiful white hair as only a few inches of white on the top of her head.

" I see but you're not ugly. Your beauty shines in your eyes. It was those eyes…those brave eyes which held me up through that night when they took you," he whispered and stroked her cheek. For the first time, she didn't draw back. 

" Hold me," she whispered and he held her close. She moved her lips to him and he deepened the kiss.

" It this what you want?" he asked as they drew back, desire flaming in his eyes. He wanted her, had from the first moment he saw her but he wanted her to be sure of what she was doing. To seek comfort in his arms was one thing but to seek comfort in his lovemaking was another.

" Yes, I need this," she whispered and ran a finger over his lips. He caught her hand and kissed it.

" I know you do but do you want this?" he whispered and Ororo turned away from him.

" You…you don't want me?" she asked in a tiny tone. She had been right. She was ugly. Black Thunder took her under the chin and forced her head to him again but she still looked down in shame. Maybe it had all been her fault. Maybe that was why he didn't …. 

" Ororo, look at me," he asked and slowly she did. " You are the world's most beautiful woman and I do want you but I can wait. We can wait. I want to do this when you want to. When you are ready to feel something for me," he said softly and she nodded.

" Have you ever….you know...had someone?" she asked as she leaned against him and he pulled the towel closer around her so she wouldn't freeze.

" I was married once," he replied tonelessly. She turned and looked at him.

" Really? I thought you told me mutants can't marry. That was why Peter and Kitty didn't," she said. Black Thunder told her things from the outside and how the others were doing but she suspected that he hid the darkest things from her. Today he had seemed very grim when he had entered but she hadn't noticed before now. She hoped that everything was alright.

" Normally they can't. My wife…was a gift from the Captain." 

Ororo stared shocked at him and drew back.

" A gift?! A woman was a gift? And you accepted?" she asked furiously.

" What would you have me do? Had I said no she'll have been killed and I punished. That wouldn't have served a purpose," he reached for her and she let him gather her back into his arms.

"….Did you love her?" she asked quietly and wondered why that question was so hard for her to ask. It wasn't like she felt anything for her rescuer. Or did she? It was only gratitude and friendship…wasn't it?

" Silver Moon was a fine wife and mother. I grew to love her," he said as he became lost in memories. Silver Moon smiling at him, her cooking for him, them making love and her holding their baby son in her arms. His son who had only lived a few hours.

"How did she die?" Ororo asked and hold his hand in hers. Even though he didn't talk about his grief she felt it inside him.

" She was killed. We had a mutual friend, Davis, a white human man. The first and ONLY human I have ever trusted…and see what it brought me?……Silver Moon valued him highly and had carelessly told him of the child she was expecting," now his voice held suppressed anger and bitterness.

" You disagreed? You wouldn't have told your best friend?"

" In here you have no friends only potential enemies. Silver Moon should have known that but she was too trusting," sadness had entered his voice now. 

 " What happened?" she asked gently, sympathy in her voice. 

" What happened? It went as it must…he told the captain and hours after our son was born beneath the stars therefore the name we gave him, Star Child, soldiers surrounded us and Silver Moon and Star Child were killed," his voice threatened to break down. He had wanted to die that day. He had even pleaded with the captain to let him join his family but he had refused. He had still need for him, he had said. He couldn't tell Ororo the whole truth. How Star Child had been killed, how the captain had tortured his mind and body……….how in the end………he had killed Silver Moon, his own wife.

" How did you move on?" she asked, tears in her eyes for him.

" I didn't. They wiped my memory of the incident to prevent me from 'doing some irrational' like rebelling or trying to kill myself," he remembered that day. That terribly day where he had woken up from the haze of torture, blood and pain….only to find that he had killed her. The one woman he loved. The captain was right; he could make him do anything.

" It happened five years ago and slowly over the years, I have begun to remember more and more details of our life together but the feelings are gone. I remember the actions as one would a book read long ago but….I feel only from those pictures. I do not recall loving Silver Moon but through the pictures I see, I know the feeling to have been there," he admitted and wiped her tears away. The day he had recalled Silver Moon's murder…….recalled her pleading with him to stop, to remember their love, to fight the darkness, the control, the pain………the confusion…….he had remembered it all. Only the fact that he didn't remember his feelings as he had thrust the knife into her chest had saved him from going totally mad.

" How can you talk about it so...casually? They took away your life…your memories!" Ororo protested as he tightened his arms around her. She had noticed that his voice hadn't changed from its usual low whisper like tone he always used. She wondered if he had adapted that tight control over his emotions and learned to use that kind of voice due to fear of punishment when younger.

" I'm not the first and I won't be the last. If not we find a way out of here before your friend…Kitty gives birth….it'll go her and Peter the same way," Black Thunder said softly and a shiver ran through Ororo. 

" Then we just have to free them before the child is born," she said determined.

" If only we could but it's a mere fantasy," he whispered pessimistically.

" Have you no hope left? Have they really broken you so?" she asked softly and planted a soft kiss on his cheek, her eyes filled with heartbreaking sadness for him.

" This place leaves no room for being human for to them you are not human. You hide your emotions and try to survive. This place either breaks you or change you," he said and pulled her close, his hand intertwining with hers.

" And you changed. They stripped you of your humanity," she whispered sadly as she felt his lips touch the top of her head.

" That's right, Wind Rider. Make no mistake; if it serves my purpose I'm ruthless and I'll not hesitate to kill," the words were softly spoken but Ororo knew the truth in them but also the warning.

" Would you harm me if it served your purpose?" she asked boldly.

"…No, never that!" he admitted and Ororo smiled.

" Then you DO have some humanity left after all," she said softly and brought her lips to his and their lips met in a kiss. A kiss promising more. Promising something greater. Promising love….someday… 

TBC            


	24. Part 23: BT visits sickbay

Part 23:  

Black Thunder walked from his office to sickbay. It had now been three months since Ororo had come to live with him. She had gotten better as time did indeed heal some scars. Her screams at night weren't as frequent. The bruises and cuts on her body had healed and had left small scars and her white hair had begun to grow out again. It now went to her neck and was as a halo around her head. Over the months they had become closer and at night Ororo would fall asleep with her head on his chest. They'll exchange kisses and voice concern for each other but never more than that. Ororo wasn't ready for more yet and Black Thunder didn't know if he was or ever would be able to open his heart to love someone again. Love…but then maybe was he felt for Ororo was love. He looked down at the chair he had put wheels on and sighed. He was under her spell, no doubt about that. Ororo had found it so sad that the professor couldn't move around for himself but was bound to a chair until someone helped him that she had convinced Black Thunder to make him a wheelchair. Talking of making and helping…Ororo was now working in high gear to try and find a way out for them and the others. When Black Thunder had last seen Kitty her growing stomach spoke of the urgency of their plan. They had already decided that if all other failed they'll just walk out together from his room and when they reached the first guard, Black Thunder would kill him and give Ororo his gun. Then they'll try and fight their way to the others cell. Black Thunder knew they'll never make it, their collars would be activated and stop them long before they went anywhere but it was nice to have a plan. Even one as crazy as this one.

" Black Thunder…what do you have there?" Cecilia asked as she saw him. Before he had a chance to answer she continued with a smile. " A wheelchair. For the professor. Great. That's so sweet of you," she said with a teasing gleam in her eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

" Doctor? I think you better take a look at this one…." John interrupted and guided Cecilia away from Black Thunder. Black Thunder didn't miss the look of jealousy in the young man's eyes. When they were gone, he went to find Xavier. He sat by Gabrielle's bedside and held up some objects.

" That's good, Gabrielle. Now, take the ball," Xavier said gently and the woman slowly reached out for the ball and handed it to him. Xavier smiled and took it. The woman's eyes still seemed far away but not as much as before. 

"Professor?" Black Thunder asked and a quick flicker of fear clouded Gabrielle's eyes before the empty look returned. Xavier's eyes narrowed as he noticed her drawback.

" What is it?" He turned to look at Black Thunder. Scott had told them that he hadn't been the one who had raped Jean yet his relationship with Xavier and all the X-men was strained at best. But that wasn't really a surprise. He was after all one of the "bad guys" as Jubilee put it and the scars on his face and body gave him a grim look. Not ugly but still…marked. A man one would look after because he was different and not because he was handsome.

" Come," Without further ado Black Thunder lifted Xavier up and placed him in the chair he had put wheels on. Xavier couldn't hide a smile. He could move around again. He felt more like a man now and not a helpless child. He knew that in the beginning he had helped Gabrielle because she was more helpless than him and helping her made him feel that he could still do something. Still make a difference.   

" Thank you," Xavier said warmly.

" Welcome," Black Thunder mumbled before leaving the room. He wasn't used to kind words and so didn't know how to reply to them. Xavier looked after him as he left before resuming his therapy with Gabrielle with renewed energy. He asked her about the objects for half an hour before she stopped responding, a sign that she didn't have the power to do it anymore.

" That's alright. We can just talk," Xavier said softly and held her hand. Before he had been crippled he had been a doctor. Had worked as a doctor. It was on one of those missions to a Balkan country torn apart by war that he had met Eric. Eric had often accused him of caring too much for his patients, making it very hard for him when he lost one. But he had never cared for anyone like he did Gabrielle. He knew well enough that most of his feelings came from need, the fear of being alone and compassion. But there was something more there as well. He stroked her over the hair with his free hand and smiled at her. 

" You can wake up now, Gabrielle, there is no danger. I'll look after you. I'll protect you," Xavier said softly and her eyes moved a little. She had made progress for some time now but he knew that with patients like Gabrielle it was important that she had something to wake up to. 

" Over these three months I have come to care deeply for you. I wouldn't say "I love you" without meaning it so when I now say " I love you" I mean it. Like a doctor a patient, like a brother a sister, like a father a child, like a teacher a student…..but hidden deep inside is a man who loves a woman," Xavier whispered, his voice warm and real. Her eyes seemed to search for focus until they finally settled on him. Her lips curved in a small smile and her mouth tried to move to form words but no sound came out.

" It is alright, love. We have time," Xavier whispered happily and Gabrielle nodded and reached out her arms for him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

" No harm will come to you. I swear," Xavier mumbled and stroked her hair. As they drew back a tear glimmered in Gabrielle's eyes and she pointed at herself, then laid her arms over her chest in an x and finally pointed at Xavier. He smiled happily, having no problems understanding what she meant.

" I love you too," he said gently and she reached over and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

TBC

Author's notes: So sorry for the long wait. RL got in the way. I'll try and get the rest of this story out as quickly as possible.

Love

Nadja


	25. Part 24: John And Cecilia

Part 24:

" John, give me a hand here," Cecilia asked and John helped her put a bandage around an unconscious man's head.

" Cecilia, we need to talk," his voice was low but it held an edge of determination she had never heard before.

" No, we don't," she declared and hurried past him to go over to a table and put the dirty bandages there. John caught hold of her hand and forced her to stop. She looked with fury in her eyes at him.

" Let me go. Now," she demanded and he did.

" Look, Cecilia. You can't just pretend it never happened. We need to talk this through," John insisted and followed her as she went to throw out the dirty bandages. He wasn't really suppose to stay in Sick Bay, nor should Jubilee but after a very heated discussion between Cecilia and Black Thunder where she had been lying through her teeth and had sworn that Jubilee and him just couldn't work any place else and if they did they'll only get hurt or something around those lines, Thunder had given in. She had been lying and all knew it. However, in the end Black Thunder had left with a "Fine but then I want no problems, you hear?" and stormed out of the room.

" Happened? Nothing happened," she denied and began making order in her medical closet. He laid his hands over the drugs so she couldn't go through them.

" Will you stop that and look at me?" John asked annoyed and hurt over her statement. She slowly turned and looked at him.

" What?"

" Cecilia, I…" he began but then saw that all the mutants awake was following their discussion with great interest from their beds. Their arguments were probably the best entertainment they had had in a long time. Refusing to be on display, John lead Cecilia by the arm over to a corner with empty beds and lowered his voice.

" What? How can you say that? After what happened last night and don't say it was nothing," he said and now the hurt in his voice was clear.

" Look, it was a mistake," Cecilia tried to go past him but he blocked her way.

" You feel nothing for me? Last night meant nothing?" he asked pained and Cecilia forced herself to nod. If only he knew…knew how much that one night which had actually only been a hour from nine to ten as he was to be back in the cell…if only he knew how much it had meant to her. But also how wrong it had been.

" It meant nothing," she stated and tried to go past him, afraid he'll read the truth in her eyes. He caught her in his arms and searched her face.

" I don't believe you," he said and brought his lips to hers. First she tried to draw back but soon she put her arms around him and deepened the kiss. She was disappointed when he drew back. " That wasn't nothing," he claimed and hope and happiness was in his eyes and voice.

" Ok, so I want you, so what? I want a lot of things," she hissed and again tried to go past him.

" What ever have happened to hurt you so, it wasn't me. I would rather die than hurt you. I love you, you know what. I told you last night," he said gently and stroked her cheek. A tear fell down her cheek and he wiped it away. 

" I know but it is wrong in so many ways…you're eighteen…"

" Nineteen," he corrected and she smiled bittersweetly at him.

" … nineteen and I'm thirty-four. On top of that we're all captives here. What kind of life will we have?" she asked sadly. He took her under the chin so her eyes met his. 

" Do you love me?" he asked softly. She tried to lower her head but he wouldn't let her. " Please, tell me," he added in a whisper.

" Yes…Yes, I do," she admitted and looked into his eyes. And that was the problem. In here love wasn't a strength but a weakness. If you loved someone you'll just hurt that much more when they died. She knew that for a fact. The rules of society might not work in here but that didn't mean there weren't any rules. A rule of caution for one was a good thing; even if and that was a big if, he wouldn't die on her he could in turn be used as a bargaining tool against her. The most ironical thing was that he most likely didn't see any of those dangers. 

" Then everything else doesn't matter. Let's take whatever happiness we can get and leave tomorrow for tomorrow to worry about," he said and bent down so his lips caught hers. She leaned into his touch, enjoying it in full. He was right; she wanted and needed this. Caution be damned; if she lived like a dead she could just as well be it. She would just have to be extra careful, for both of them.

As he drew back her eyes were shinning and her happiness was reflected in his eyes. One chocolate brown hand found and held his white one, bringing to them a symbol of hope.

TBC


	26. Part 25: Strange Bedfellows

Part 25:

" You can't be serious!" Betsy said sharply and gave Alex a look saying she doubted his sanity.

" You GOT to be joking!" Warren backed up his girlfriend and the other students nodded as they looked at Alex who stood at the end of the table, trying to brief them in on his plan which they so far wasn't buying.

" Look, I think we should give this a chance," Lorna said in his defence and Alex gave her a warm look.

" Given your relationship with our Fearless Leader here, I doubt that was an objective opinion," Hank said and was rewarded with a dirty look from Lorna's green eyes.

" I know this is difficult for you……..," Alex began but was caught off.

" Forget it!" Emma spat and was about to stand.

" Look folks this wasn't a suggestion," Alex said and his voice held a dangerous edge.

" I agree with Alex on this. Eric can help us. He'll never want any harm to come to Charles," Sean said, his Irish accent thick as he held his wife, Moina's, hand. They were both very young, only 18 but had still married two weeks ago under Alex's big protests. They'll never had even suggested a marriage in such an early age if not it was because there wasn't any teachers home, another problem Alex had tried to solve as good as he could. No one knew this school was the X-men's headquarters and they wanted to keep it that way so of course they still had to send exam results to the government, try and keep order in the finances and divide the teaching positions. They had decided that the person who knew the most in one subject taught the others. Hank was teaching physics, Kurt taught German, Sean took English literature (which often turned into Irish literature or tales of the English oppression of Ireland and the fight for a free Northern Ireland), Warren did the finances, Betsy taught self defence and there were a few other curses but he had agreed that they had to dump the rest. 

" Well, I'm not going to beg for help from an old enemy," Emma said and was about to leave as Alex's sharp voice stopped her.

" I asked but it was only to fill you in. This is what we do." 

Words of protest ran through the gathered mutants. " I know it is hard to accept but Eric cares deeply for Charles and we have to face reality. We have searched for them alone for six months now. All our leads have been dead ends. We need to do something and do it NOW!" To amplify his words, he slammed his fist down on the table.

" Where is Charles? Have you found anything?" Eric asked as he came through the door and interrupted their meeting. All mutants jumped up from their chairs and took up fight positions. Lorna moved closer to Alex and touched his arm, making a magnetically shield around them both.

" Lorna…thank you, love, but I invited him here," Alex said and went out from her protective bubble.

" WHAT?"

" You invited him?"

" Are you nuts?" 

Alex ignored all their protects and went to greet Magneto. He gave him his hand which Eric after a few seconds thought took.

" I see your brother in your eyes," the older man said softly and Alex beamed with pride.

" Now; this is what we know. The X-men received an emergency call from the city. Some left from the mansion and some were already in town and so didn't put on uniforms. Here…." Alex pointed to a map of the city hanging on the back wall and Magneto looked more closely as did the others even though they were still on the look out for Magneto.

" I see………," Magneto mumbled and looked more closely at the map.  " Do you have any leads?" 

" Not really. We know of the battle in town….," Alex began.

" Hell, everyone knows about that," Betsy said and Alex cast her an annoyed glance. 

"…..but from there on it is speculations. Some claim to have seen them as far away as somewhere in France while others said that they were taken to a boat." 

" Boat? From which port?" Magneto asked and his eyes looked alive for the first time that night, maybe for the first time in years.

" The southern. Here," Lorna said and pointed on the map.

" Of course! With boat….I never thought that when I looked for Charles after I heard of his disappearance," Magneto said as if a great puzzle had just been solved. 

" Care to share from the fountain of wisdom?" Emma asked sarcastically.

" There is a small closed island called Genosha. Very little is known of it because it has always been closed but rumours has it that they have mutant slaves," Magneto almost spat the last word out in contempt.

" And you think they'll be on this island?" Hank asked as he brought up maps of the waters near the American cost and spotted the island.

" It seems a logical assumption," Eric said and Hank nodded.

" Indeed it does."

" What kind of defences do they have?" Alex asked worried. An island would be hard to invade.

" Can't we just talk with them?" Kurt asked. He didn't like the prospect of a big battle. People were bound to get hurt or maybe even killed.

" They have had no diplomatic connections with any government for years. I doubt they'll start now over some mutant issues," Magneto said darkly.

"So, we attack!" Alex declared and looked at the blueprints Hank had laid out on the table over the island's defence systems. There were fences, mines, guns and cannons. The Invasion of Normandy in '44 had to have been easier than this.

" Where do we go in? And do we go in all at once or in smaller groups?" Betsy asked as she leaned over to watch the plans. Alex looked to Magneto.

" All at once. Here," he said and pointed to a point were there were more guns but lesser mines.

" Why there?" Emma asked suspiciously.

" More mutants have powers which allows them to blast things from a distance than mutants who can fly," he answered.

"We can't know for certain where they'll hold our friends but if we move towards the capital city and the main compound placed there we should be able to if not find them there then find some information which can assist us in our search," Betsy suggested as she looked at the map over the island. She looked to Magneto and Alex who both nodded agreement to this.  

" If we let the mutants who can fly go in first and take out the cannons overlooking the sea, the others can follow and we fight our way to the city; it's not that far from the sea. We then move towards here," Alex said and pointed at the largest compound in the middle of the capital city which were close to their point of entry.

" I agree. Who of your people can fly or in some other way jump large distances?" Magneto asked, his eyes locked on the mines on the map.

" Betsy can, shadow-walking, Lorna can, magnetism, Sean can, sonic screams, Warren can, wings, Emma can, telekinesis. Kurt can, teleportation," Alex answered for them and nodded to each student in turn.

" Very well. Train them in hand to hand combat and shooting as well as enhancement of their powers. We have no time to waste," Magneto said and several people entered.

" What? You said you'll be alone," Alex protested furiously.

" I lied. Besides we need all the help we can get," Eric said and nodded to his people in turn, " Mystique, Sabretooth, Mastermind, Toad, Sinister and Apocalypse." 

Alex had seen Toad, Mystique and Sabretooth before but the others were new. Mastermind looked like an older man whose power were obviously in his mind and not his body, Sinister looked youthful but his skin was very pale and his face was dominated by a pair of very red glowing eyes while the last one, Apocalypse, was a strong built man whose age was impossible to place but Alex guessed around thirty. 

Magneto then nodded to two younger mutants standing off to one side, the young man standing protectively in front of a beautiful woman dressed in red. " My children; Pietro and Wanda, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch," there was pride in his voice despite the fact that both children normally fought against him.

" Well, I guess it is alright then if they'll obey orders," Alex gave in; they really did need all the help they could get. Though he really didn't like the way Sinister was looking at him. Like a scientist a rat. Magneto noticed his discomfort and whispered to him;

" Watch out for Sinister and Apocalypse. They play in this game to win but for their own ends only."

" Do you know what they want?" Alex asked. Okay, Sinister's red eyes were really beginning to annoy him.

" Well, Sinister is obsessed with your brother for some reason. He wants to study him…and his bloodline, " Alex looked shocked and Eric added, " But mostly your brother."

" Great," Alex said sarcastically. "And the other one; Apocalypse?" Even the guy's name bore warning of danger.

" That I don't know but he is powerful. As long as we get what we want let's worry about them later," he said briefly and brushed it off.

" Very well. Who'll train the first strike team?" Alex asked.

" Mystique and Sabretooth. They'll be tough and teach yours to be the same but what they learn will probably save their lives," Magneto said and with a nod of his head, Mystique began leading the small group to the gym with Creed.

" Betsy will lead the team," Alex said and wondered if Eric would protest. Power wise, it was hard to tell who'll win if the two groups went at it. " She has the experience and the coldness to do whatever is necessary."

" Even if it means leaving a team-mate behind?" Magneto questioned and Alex frowned.

" If needs be; yes but let's strain to avoid that."

" Of course," Eric agreed. There was silence for a while.

" Shall we set a date? What of Friday the 4th, a month from now?" Alex asked and moved to the table.

" I agree."

" Good. Now, let's see what we have to do when the first team has landed. We also have to think of what to do if the first strike team should fail," Alex said.

Magneto seated himself with Alex at the table and battle plans were discussed. Drawings were laid out and more plans were discussed. To avoid disobedience, they agreed to split the group in two units where Magneto controlled his own team and Alex the other but the teams were to work as one. That of course also meant that Magneto and Alex had to agree and back each other up in a combat situation, which was perhaps the hardest. Although Alex trusted Eric it was only to a certain degree. He knew that Eric had three goals for this mission. One was to rescue Charles, the other was to save the mutant slaves and the last was to destroy Genosha. Alex hoped that when the time came; they'll both be professionally enough to know when they were beaten, when to listen and when to lead.   

TBC

Author's notes: This is my AU movie version of the well known comic villains (Sinister and so forth) so…. 


	27. Part 26: Jean Thinks Back

Part 26:

Jean was on her knees, cleaning the already shinning marble floor in the palace but her thoughts were far away. They had been prisoners for six months now. Well, at least Scott had counted it to that. They had no watches and weren't allowed to know the date so Scott had counted the days and Remy had made a small figure in the wall with Kitty's hairpin for each day. 

Jean's green eyes found Kitty and Rogue. Rogue seemed to be fine, considering the circumstances. The fact that she and Logan could barely keep their hands off each other probably had something to do with that happiness. She had tried to be happy for them but was still unable to look at them when they got a little too caught up in each other…it brought back memories she wished she could kill forever. However the other X-men were as considerate as possible and they would often stay in the main areas until just before ten, giving Logan and Rogue some privacy. 

Her thoughts found Scott as they often did. He had been so patient and kind through all this. She still hadn't been able to let Scott do more than hold her and kiss her softly and briefly. If it went further than that she'll feel her body stiffen and she'll draw back. It wasn't Scott's fault, in their minds they both knew it but his heart sometimes had doubts when her body's reaction betrayed her heart. He had only been sweet and understanding, never pushing though the feeling of helplessness he felt was driving him up the wall and that was frustrating for her as well. Sometimes she wished she could forget it all, at other times she really wished she could talk with someone about it. She couldn't bring herself to tell Scott about what had happened though he had offered to listen…she just couldn't do that. At times when he came back to her from a hard day's work and looked exhausted she really wished she had control over her body; that she could comfort him with her touch but she couldn't. She was afraid of something which were as alive as the man she loved every night in her nightmares. She just wasn't ready.  Not yet…maybe she never would be. 

Though as with everything the days did pass by and though she at times had thought she should die, had wished it at times, time truly were a great healer though a very very slow one. They had had their bad days, with her breaking down and crying over the smallest thing or suddenly yelling at Scott, saying things she quickly regretted. At first he wasn't sure what to do, he wanted to take her in his arms but feared her reaction. However after an emotional outburst like that she felt like a balloon which all the air had suddenly gone out off; she had no energy left and he would take her in his arms and rock her gently back and forth as a father a child while he said he understood, that he would always be there for her, no matter what. 

Thinking about it all also brought back memories of her short pregnancy. She and Scott hadn't had sex since before the rape so they had known it to be the guard's child. Jean had shifted between wanting the child and feeling greatly repulsed by it and almost wanting to put a knife into her own belly to cut it out of her herself. Scott had asked what she wanted because he could live with both. She had seen both anger, regret, fear and a flicker of happiness in his eyes when she had told him about the child. They had discussed what to do long and hard. In the end the decision had been taken out of their hands when she miscarried soon after, the child barely recognisable as human. Through she hadn't even decided if she wanted the child or not she had cried for it and had had a hard time being with Kitty since then and see her growing stomach. Cecilia had said the miscarriage had happened because she had been stressed, undernourished and overworked and had explained that miscarriages were very common around here though Jean still felt guilty; not only because she had lost the child but also because a part of her was happy that she had lost it. 

Thinking of Kitty…she worked close to her but with the help from Rogue and her they made sure she didn't exhaust herself. Knowing she had probably lost her own child due to too hard work she and Rogue were even more watchful of Kitty. Peter was very excited about the child and last night he had woken them all up to tell that Kitty had felt the child move. However, both of the young soon to be parents were also fearful. There was a reason why there wasn't a kindergarten in the compound.

Jean's thoughts moved on to her other friends. Jubilee, John and Xavier still worked at the hospital section. Scott had told Black Thunder of Jean's own medical degree when she had carried the child to try and lighten her work but Black Thunder had said that if Jean went to work at the hospital then Xavier would be useless…and therefore terminated so Jean had stayed where she was. She hadn't regretted that choice even though she knew that had she worked at the hospital, her child might could have been saved. Xavier himself was happier than ever though he still feared for them all. He often talked about a woman named Gabrielle who was at the hospital. He had been so happy when she had woken up and now they spent all his free time in the hospital together. She still didn't talk but with signs and gestures the two communicated just fine. Logan had been mad at first to hear that Gabrielle was human. Jean could understand that. 

Scott had warned all to try and keep a low profile while they all still worked on a escape plan and most also had but Logan had a hot temper and had gotten into a few scratches. Once because some guards had looked lustfully at Rogue. He had gotten 10 lashes for that one. Then just the other day a guard had called him something, she didn't even remember what anymore, that wasn't too flattering and Logan had jumped the guard. Scott had interfered and tried to break them up in the hopes that the incident could somehow be calmed down which resulted in them both getting 20 lashes each which had been raised to 30 each when both Logan and Scott had tried to cover for each other by both claiming they attacked the guard alone.  

When Xavier had explained that Gabrielle had been part of a Genoshian resistance group which fought for a free for all country, including equal rights for mutants and humans, Logan and the others which had resented her had quickly forgotten their painfully earned distaste in humans for it hadn't just been Logan who had had a problem with her being human and humans in general. After Jean's rape Scott had felt the same way and now instead of trying to find a peaceful way out of this prison or a way which harmed as few guards as possible, he had with Remy and Logan spoken highly for a front attack at a weak point and then kill as many of the guards as possible. 

Jubilee and Bobby had grown closer and at night he'll let an arm slip around her shoulders and she'll lean against him but they'll rather die than admit to that growing love of course. John was much harder to read but then he had always been hard to read for Jean…well, actually for them all. He was normally a very quiet young man and since one could now see Scott's eyes John had become the most unreadable of them all. He had said one evening when they had all discussed escape plans that when they one day were to leave he'll want the Doctor Cecilia with him. Scott had augured that if they were to escape together it was out of the way to reach Sick Bay first but John had been firm in his decision and Scott had given in. 

Jean sighed as she saw Black Thunder walk over the floor and disappear. That was one man she didn't understand. He seemed to want to protect them but still he did things against them and he wasn't the most open or gentle of men. Her education in psychology told her that there was more behind his hash words and seemly uncaring front than they saw but she didn't know what and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. The man was a ruthless killer, many of the other slaves said so and she herself had seen his handiwork. She remembered once a guard had been accused of helping slaves escape. BT had shot him in the forehead and his body had been hung up in the dinning hall as a warning for all. She had to give him credit though that she had heard him argue against letting the man's body hang in the dinning hall. He had just killed the man and had argued that telling the guards and slaves the consequences of betrayal were enough. The captain had disagreed and only after three days where a sickening stench had made eating a pain in itself had the body been removed. 

She returned her glance to the floor and rubbed viciously. She missed Ororo, someone her age to talk to. Scott was always there to listen to her but all the doubts she had after the rape she'll have liked to share with a woman. It wasn't something she could tell her husband. Oh, yes…husband. Scott and her had married a few days ago in almost the same manner as Peter and Kitty, only the Professor had been conducting the ceremony and since both Scott and herself were protestants he had given them a Christian wedding as well. Sure, in the real world their wedding wasn't legal or binding but both Scott and her had wished to show to the world what they felt in their hearts. Again Remy had been able to produce a wedding ring. Ok, not a ring actually. Jean looked lovingly at it on her now hardened hands after months of hand labour. It was a plain gold band, used to hold machinery together. How Remy had been able to steal it was beyond her. More than that she had heard that some equipment had broken down and two guards had been killed, the accident strangely enough falling together with Remy's whereabouts and his stealing of the gold band though he had never been punished for it. 

She looked at it again and smiled. Scott had proposed in the hallway, as far away from preying eyes as they could get. He had went down on one knee and taken her hand in his. She had tried to pull him up with her. It had just been days since his and Logan's punishment and she didn't want him to hurt his back. He had brushed it off and looked into her green eyes. He had told her that he loved her and always would. That he wanted her to belong to him as he belonged to her. She had been very happy and flattered but had warned Scott that she wasn't sure when if ever she would be ready to have sex again. He had stood and stroked her cheek and whispered that it didn't matter. She mattered. All else was without meaning and importance. With that memory in her mind she resumed her work with a smile still playing on her lips as she thought of Scott, her husband and her love.   

TBC


	28. Part 27: BT Talks Of His Past To Ororo

Part 27: 

" Ok, are we all ready?" Alex asked from inside Warren's ship they had borrowed from his parents for the occasion. They were as close to the coastline of Genosha as they dared, the night hiding the ship from the guards on the beach. Betsy looked at her team and they all nodded in turn.

" Ready," she confirmed.

" Then go and remember to be quick. We can't avoid the main alarm going off at some point but let's prolong it as long as possible," Eric said and Betsy nodded. 

" Be careful, love," Warren said as he kissed Betsy on the lips while the rest of the group went to the deck.

" You too," she said warmly and the pair went to the deck, Eric and Alex following them while the others got ready downstairs.

" Emma, when arriving you and Betsy telepathically attack the guards. Sean, you take out the guards in the middle flanked by the girls. Warren, fly with Betsy, who'll be covering you, and Kurt, teleport inside the largest bunker where, according to Eric's sources…." Alex began.

" Then I'm sure it's true," Emma interrupted sarcastically. Alex gave her a dirty look.

"……the general alarm will be activated from there, if not we get to it first. Lorna, you take the bunker and meet Kurt inside as soon as possible. Betsy, you contact me telepathically when the cannons are down, alright?" Alex said as the first team got ready to fly away.

" I'll do it or Emma can," Betsy said. 

" Ok," Alex nodded and turned to Lorna, taking her in his arms and kissing her. " Be careful," he whispered as they drew apart. She smiled.

" I always am," with that she flew a little above the deck and nodded to the beautiful Asian girl. "You coming, Bets?"

" Yeah. Strike team follow me," she said and created a shadow-hole to walk through withWarren by her side and the others following behind.

" That's it, then. It has begun," Eric murmured as the others joined him and Alex on the deck. As soon as the cost was clear they could sail to shore and hide the boat in a safe place until it was time to leave, hopefully with their missing friends.

" It has. Let's hope that the battle will be over before this time tomorrow," Alex said and suddenly felt very tired. It was as if he was always fighting. Only this time…he'd win or die trying.

*                                     *                                    *

Black Thunder walked down the hallway. It was ten in the evening and he had gone around to make sure all force shields were closed and all mutants in their cells. He reached his own room and a small smile curved his lips as he went in.

" Hi," Ororo said and lit up in a smile as she saw him. She had been sitting on the bed, drawing escape plans on a piece of paper. Now, she stood and walked to him, planting a kiss on his cheek.

" Wind Rider," he said and brought his lips softly against hers. She deepened the kiss before drawing back.

" So, how was it today? How is Jean? And the professor? Kitty and the baby?" Ororo asked as she began preparing some bread, butter and ham for their dinner. 

" They are all doing fine. I arranged for the professor to sleep in sick bay with Gabrielle," he let her know. She had in the beginning asked him to try and contact the others for her, let them know she was alright but he had insisted it was too dangerous should anyone overhear. However, he knew why he had never truly tried to establish contact between Ororo and friends; he wanted her all for himself. With him as her only line to the outside world she needed him and would continue to need him and depend on him.   

"Good," Ororo nodded at his reply, not asking anything else. They rarely discussed his work. They had once when she had asked and he had emotionlessly told her. Told her of executions, interrogations and punishments. They hadn't spoken for a week because of that. In the end Black Thunder had asked if she couldn't try and see him as two people; one who loved her and one who worked for the captain. It had been the first time he had said the words and it had brought joy to her heart but still there were things she needed to know. He had promised to answer all her questions honestly but she hadn't been ready to hear the answers yet so they had postponed it. Until tonight. They slept in the bed together, pillows between them no longer necessary as Ororo would often lean against him, but they hadn't had sex. She had been firm in that and he had respected her choice. 

" Wind Rider….Ro', how do you want to do this?" Black Thunder asked softly as he helped her put the dinner on the floor and they seated themselves across from each other. She bit her lower lip, a sign he had come to know meant that she was thinking.

" Can't I just ask you something and you answer; honestly?"

" Very well," he agreed and made two sandwiches while waiting for her to begin. He handed her one and bit into the other.

" Well?" he asked as the silence dragged on.

" Hmm…..Have you…you know…killed someone?" she then got out. She had to admit to herself, although she couldn't bring herself to tell him, that she was falling in love with him. She wanted to know what kind of man had stolen her heart. Warning bells were in her mind. Did she truly love him or was it something else? She had heard of the Stockholm syndrome; it talked about prisoners falling in love with their captives out of need, gratitude for still being alive and a desire to end punishment and please their captor. She shook her head. No, it wasn't like that. True, there was gratitude and need but she didn't fear him……maybe a little at first but…….no, it wasn't like that. Things were confusing enough. She didn't need this confusion in her head as well. She shook her head to clear her mind of all thoughts like that; things got way too complicated if they were true and frankly she didn't want them to be true.   

" I have," he said, no regret in his voice, actually not much emotion in it at all. This wasn't really helping her if he continued to only answer with so few words.

" And?" she asked as he didn't elaborate. He looked puzzled at her.

" How many?" she then asked. 

" Numbers? I don't know," he saw the look in her eyes and added, " My job here is many things. One is to terminate disobedient guards."

" Have you ever killed mutants?" she wanted to know and hoped for a no. Killing guards was one thing; after her rape she had no great love for any guards though rationally she knew that some of them could be good men risking their lives to save some of the captured mutants.

" I had a period right after Silver Moon's death where I did, but at that time I had no memory of anything personal at all. I remembered only my job. Like a robot. After two months my memories began to return and I asked the captain to return to overlooking the guards and the health of the slaves. However there are times where it is impossible for me not to kill mutants," Black Thunder explained and now she could hear a small flicker of sadness and regret in his voice. She leaned over and stroked his cheek.

" It wasn't your fault then. It was the drugs or whatever they had done to steal your memories. It wasn't you. You had no choice then and you still don't," she said, wanting her words to be true not only for him but for her as well. This was the only way she could see things and live with it…it had to be this way.

" Maybe but it was still my hands which killed," he whispered sadly but then sat up more straight. " So, what else?" he asked and she knew there wasn't more to be said about that.

" You talk of Gabrielle. Why is she still in sick bay?" Ororo wanted to know. She wasn't jealous about that. It didn't matter that Gabrielle was one of the few people that Black Thunder talked about by himself without her almost forcing information out of him.

" She hardly knows I exist. Not consciously anyway. You see, while I was under their control a resistance group was captured. Gabrielle was one of them," his deep black eyes got a hunted look and Ororo got a grim suspicion.

" Oh, no," she whispered but Black Thunder continued as if she hadn't spoken.

" They wanted to know where the rest of the group was, who their contacts were and so forth," he looked directly at her as if daring her to draw back from him. She didn't.

" I tortured Gabrielle for days but she didn't say anything at all. I was called away and when I returned she had been reduced to little more than a vegetable. She was to be terminated but at that time my memories had returned," there was no mistaken the guilt in his voice, the anguish and Ororo felt sorry for him and took his hand in hers. His lips curved into a smile as he looked down at their intertwined fingers.

" So…," Ororo probed gently.

" I did what I could. I brought her to the Medicine Woman….Cecilia, " he specified as he saw her confused look. " I said to the captain that she had been terminated and asked for my old job back, which I got. Since then I have watched over Gabrielle, making sure no one comes too near her."

" But you had given up on her…until…..," Ororo said, beginning to understand.

" Until the professor brought her back. I thought at first that it was false hope but now I know it isn't. She still doesn't talk, probably never will, but yesterday I saw her smile and I knew that the professor was just right for her," Black Thunder said and happiness and acceptance were in his voice.

" And that's why you let the professor stay with her in sick bay even though if they are discovered…,"  Ororo said softly, knowing the great risk that Gabrielle, Xavier and Black Thunder were running this night. They sat in silence for a while until she asked what had been on her mind for some time now, actually from the beginning.

" Did you…..ever…take…a woman without her permission?" she got out and tried to keep images of strangers' cruel hands all over her body from her mind.

 " You mean rape her?" Ororo nodded. " No, never."

" Not even when you were…not yourself?" 

" No, not even then. I have never raped anyone nor tortured or killed children. I have never tortured any woman besides Gabrielle,"  Black Thunder admitted and his voice held pain for that woman whose life he had been a willing player in destroying.

" You have…tortured…men?" Ororo wanted to know.

" At times. Mostly guards, white human males," he specified and shrugged his shoulders as if their lives weren't important to him. " But there have been times where I have both tortured and killed male slaves, though I don't enjoy it. I had little say in the matter," Thunder admitted.

" Oh," Ororo just said. Black Thunder caught her hands in his, drawing circles with his thumb on their soft skin.

" I'm no angel but I never claimed to be. However my love for you is true and I'll never hurt you and yours," he said seriously and leaned in for a kiss. She put her arms around him, finally at peace now that she knew what kind of man he was. He wouldn't hurt her. She knew that now.

" I love you," she finally whispered against his lips and he smiled. He had gotten what he wanted, what he had sought after. He looked into her eyes and asked a silent question. She nodded and he gently lifted her up and carried her to the bed, laying her on it. He kissed her again and began to unbutton the shirt she had borrowed from him. He felt her stiffen as his hand brushed the soft skin of her belly.

" I wouldn't hurt you. Ever. Say no and I stop," he whispered against her lips as he kissed her again.

" No, I want to. I love you," Ororo whispered and lifted Black Thunder's shirt off him, drawing figures on his broad chest with her fingers. He lay down beside her and she leaned over him, taking charge and letting their first lovemaking resend in her speed, having full control.

TBC

Author's notes: Thanks to Tinhutlady for great beta and kind encouragement. Thanks so much *hugs*


	29. Part 28: Escape!

Part 28:    

Boom, bang, BOOM!

Ororo turned in her sleep and leaned closer to Black Thunder. He lay still for a while, having been awakened earlier by the sound. It sounded like gun fire, or maybe even heavy artillery. He waited for the sounds to come again. 

BOOM!

This time the noise was followed by the sound of people running and screaming. Confusion. Panic.

He jumped from the bed to stand naked on the floor.

"Ororo, get up," he reached over and lay a hand on her arm, shaking her back and forth.

"Hmm? What?" she sat up in bed, looking confused.

"Get dressed. We're under attack," Black Thunder said and hurried to dress in pants of skin and an open vest before putting on his gun holsters. Ororo jumped out of bed and slipped the long, plain white dress over her head that Black Thunder had given her some days ago.

"By the way…," he said as he checked his guns and smiled at her. "You look radiant," she blushed prettily and smiled back.

"Thank you." 

He threw her a gun, which she caught, but stared strangely at him.

"I know of your vow not to kill, love, but if the needs be. . ." he explained and took her hand, taking her to the door. Ororo felt her heart beat wildly in her chest. Finally it seemed as if they were going somewhere. Going away. Going home. As he opened the door to the hallway the screams and general noise got louder.  She had to admit that a part of her would miss the old room, because even though she had been there involuntarily she had some good memories from it. Like last night. 

Black Thunder opened the door wide and went out, Ororo behind him. There was massive confusion in the hallway, soldiers running back and forth, and a part of the wall to the left had fallen down. If they did not do something soon most of the slaves would be killed in the crossfire. 

"In here," Black Thunder said, and they went into what had been the captain's office. "Captain?" he called and searched the messy office. Going behind the desk he found the captain on the floor, his hands pressed against a gunshot wound in his chest. Blood from the wound was running out between the man's fingers. Black Thunder knelt beside him and held the captain in his arms. Ororo didn't quite know what to do as the amount of blood and the captain's condition left her in no doubt that he was dying. She quietly reached out and put a calming hand on Black Thunder's shoulder. She looked from the captain to BT, remembering what he had told her of the captain. She had no doubt that what she was witnessing was a classic Stockholm syndrome; Black Thunder showed all the signs from gratitude to fear and need. Again that small voice in her head asked her if BT's reaction to the captain was any different from hers to BT. No. No, it couldn't be. Her own feelings for Black Thunder were nothing like this; didn't the fact that she even feared it could be proof that she did care for him of her own free will? Didn't it? 

"Michael?" the older man rasped, blood running out of the corners of his mouth.

"Yes. How bad is it?" Black Thunder asked and laid a hand over the man's wound.

"It is…too….early to tell. We could lose or we could win. So far no intruders have entered the compound. The fighting is still in midtown," he said, having misread Thunder's question of concern for his welfare as one of concern for the nation, and despite his wound and pain there was pride in his voice over this achievement.

 "Who shot you?" Black Thunder asked. He had had a feeling that the intruders, probably some of the X-men, couldn't have reached this far already. He assumed the attack had started last night at the beach somewhere and it was only around three in the morning.

"….You were right, Michael. Sergeant Philip couldn't be trusted," the old man said weakly and smiled at him, a smile that turned into a grimace. "He saw his chance to rise and took it. Damn boy!"

"Captain…." There was something in Black Thunder's voice that Ororo had only heard in the heat of passion last night; kindness…love. 

"…Father…the keys to the collars. You know where they are. I have some limited healing powers. I may be able to heal you," his voice was soft, gentle. Ororo tried to hide her shock. Father? He couldn't mean it like that. It was probably because the captain had cared for him since his parents died. On the other hand he had said that his father had been tortured but hadn't said he had been killed. Could it be…? If he was BT's father…could she accept that? Could she even accept him outside these walls? Gunshots and yelling in the distance made those thoughts disappear. One thing at a time. Right now their main concern was getting out alive. 

The captain looked at Black Thunder and something flickered in his voice and eyes; love for a lost son.

"……promise me….something first," the captain said and his voice still held an edge of steel.

"Very well," Black Thunder agreed.

"Kill Sergeant Philip!" the captain reached out a hand and Black Thunder let his rest lightly over it.

"I will," he vowed.

The old man smiled and nodded weakly. 

"Lean over me," he asked. Black Thunder looked puzzled but did as bid. The captain took a shaking and blood covered hand up and let its fingers brush against the lock on BT's collar. It sprung open and Black Thunder put the collar on the floor. It was strange. He couldn't remember a time when he hadn't worn it and now…now it was gone. 

Black Thunder laid his hands over the captain's wound and concentrated. A beam of light came from his hands and he closed his eyes. He tried all he could but the wound was too severe. He drew back.

"I…can't help you," he admitted and the captain just nodded.

"I didn't think you'll be able to," there was a look to his eyes and an edge to his voice which BT had never heard before. He didn't know what to say. If the captain had opened his collar knowing he couldn't be helped then maybe…

"Ororo," Black Thunder asked and she stood forth and leaned over the dying man. He let his fingers brush over her lock as well and it sprang open and she took it off with a satisfied smile.

"How do we free the others?" Black Thunder asked as Ororo rejoiced in the return of her powers, creating a small wind inside the office, making a ring of papers fly in the air around them.

"All soldiers from sergeant and above can open them," he said weakly and lifted a hand to touch Black Thunder's face lightly. "You never believed in what you did, yet you did it well. Over the years…." The words Black Thunder wished to hear didn't come. "…….I….am…proud…of…you," the old man rasped before his eyes stiffened and his chest didn't rise again. 

Black Thunder just held him for a while, puzzled as to why a man so devoted to duty had helped them. Had he been trying to seek forgiveness for past sins? Was it just a dying man's slip of the tongue? Or…or could it be because he had cared for him? Really cared?

Now he would never know. He closed the man's eyes and stood, taking Ororo's hand and they walked out on the hallway again. Soldiers came towards them. 

"We have to find a sergeant or someone with higher rank," Ororo said and smiled in satisfaction as she with a thought let a wind appear out of nowhere and swept the soldiers off their feet and knocked them into the wall. She let a wind come to her and she flew a little above the floor. 

"We'll take Sergeant Philip. Down here," Black Thunder said and with a thought he flew up and down the hallway. Soldiers saw them and pointed their weapons at them. "Ororo…"

"Sure," she replied to his unasked question and flew in front of him, letting a wind take away their guns and then another wind slammed them into a wall. She watched with a smile as they fell down and lost consciousness. 

They flew around a corner, Ororo still in front of him as he said "That's him!" and pointed to a man standing surrounded by some 20 soldiers, yelling orders.

"Escaped slaves. Shoot them," Philip demanded as they were spotted and firing began.

"Ororo…" Black Thunder began. She let a lighting bolt appear in her hand and threw it after the soldiers.

"You go take our man, I'll hold them," she said and let a wind appear. He smiled at her.

"Right," he said and while flying towards the sergeant, he fired his weapons at the guards, killing a few. He landed next to Philip.

"Long time, no see," Philip said with a leer and reached for his weapon but Black Thunder placed his under the man's chin, taking the gun from his grip and throwing it on the floor.

"Not nearly long enough," Black Thunder growled and pushed him harshly in front of him, back towards Ororo. 

"That's him?" Ororo asked as she landed next to him, having finished off all the guards so they now lay unconscious on the floor. 

"Yes," Black Thunder said and flew up with Philip in his arms, she followed him. They quickly flew to sickbay and entered. Chaos was there as well.

"Cecilia??" Black Thunder yelled and tried to cut through the screams and cries of the frightened patients.

"Yes? What is it?" She asked as she came to them, looking were stressed as she tried to calm the patients down. She walked over to them. "You…you're flying! You're free!" she said in wonder and unconsciously touched her own collar.

"Undo hers!" Black Thunder demanded sharply and landed on the floor, pressing the gun hard against the man's chin. Philip seemed torn. With a quick motion Black Thunder removed the gun from his face, only to shot him in his lower right leg.

"Auuuuuuuuuuu!" Philip screamed in pain as Back Thunder forced him to stand up straight.

"My God, Thunder!" Cecilia yelled horrified but he ignored her.

"Undo it now or I'll shot off both your kneecaps!" his voice was calm but held an edge of steel. The same edge the captain's had had, Ororo noticed.

"Okay, okay," reluctantly Philip brushed his fingers against Cecilia's collar and it fell to the floor. She touched her neck.

"I'm free!" she said in a low voice filled with wonder.

" Now, you and I are going to go for a little walk around the hospital," Black Thunder demanded and forced the pained man to move with him to the beds and touch each of the mutants collars, giving them back their powers and a better chance of survival.

"Where is Charles?" Ororo asked and Cecilia looked at her. 

"Tell me, you remind me of that woman Charles talked about…the white haired mutant…Storm," Cecilia said as she lead Ororo to a bed where Gabrielle and Charles sat, her pressed against his chest. In the confusion no one had had the time to lift him to his wheelchair. 

"I am she," Ororo said as Charles spotted her and looked shocked(,) but happy.

"Storm, you're alive!" he said, surprise and joy written all over his face and she smiled.

"I found them," Ororo yelled and Black Thunder forced Philip with him as several mutants flew, ran or otherwise disappeared from the hospital. 

"Undo his," Black Thunder demanded and Philip touched Charles collar and he let it fall to the floor.

"Thank you," Charles said warmly and felt truly alive for the first time since their capture. He could feel and sense as he used to again. As he focused on Gabrielle he could read her love easily and he sent his back and she smiled at him.

"We need to go now," Black Thunder said and dragged Philip with him.

"But Charles…," Cecilia began.

"Will be all right now. Finally," Charles finished with satisfaction as Ororo made him fly up from the bed to hover a few millimetre's above the floor. It looked like he walked on air as Ororo let Gabrielle fly to him, and she walked beside him, taking firm hold of his hand. Gabrielle's eyes were shooting daggers at BT's back; her ordeal at his hands never forgotten nor forgiven.

"This way," Black Thunder said and flew towards the X-men's cell, Charles with Gabrielle right behind him and then Ororo. 

"Wait. I can't fly!" Cecilia protested and Black Thunder stopped in midair.

"Ororo, can you…?" he asked.

"Of course," Ororo said and called a wind to her and let it take Cecilia off her feet. 

"We'll meet 35 guards ahead, just around this corner," Charles warned as they flew nearer the X-men's cell.

"Ororo and Cecilia, fly in front," Black Thunder ordered and the two women flew first.

"I'll make a force field around us all. It'll protect us but it can't harm them," Cecelia said and a kind of bubble appeared around them all. They came around the corner and shots were fired at them but bounced off the shield Cecilia had made. Black Thunder fired his guns at the soldiers and Charles attacked their minds while Ororo let a wind knock them into a wall. Soon they had defeated them; BT's victims lay dead while the rest of them were just unconscious. 

"We should kill them all to make sure they can't come after us again," BT said and pointed his gun at one of the unconscious guards. With a thought Charles forced BT to holster his gun.

"They live," Charles insisted. BT looked furious but after what the older man had made him do he realised that he could just as easier have forced him to shoot himself. 

"It's your funeral," Black Thunder mumbled.

Having no time to waste they continued towards the others cell. It was now they had the chance. The fight was on and this war couldn't end in a draw. It was kill or be killed. 

Till the end. Till the death.   

TBC

Author's notes:

Thanks so much to Cathain for great beta on this chapter and for being such a good friend.


	30. Part 29: The Greatest Love

Part 29:

The group lead by Cecilia and Ororo flew around a corner and came up on the X-men's cell, flying past other cells on their way. All the prisoners were awake, many standing at the shields holding them in as they tried to figure out what the noise was, fighting back the hope that it could mean their freedom. 

As they stopped before the X-men's cell they saw that they also were on their feet but as with all the slaves, the force shields were on and caged them in. Ororo landed first and then sat Cecelia down beside her. She sat Gabrielle down on the floor but let Xavier stay a few millimeters in the air, as it was easier to protect him like that instead of having him on the floor. There was so little air between Xavier's feet and the floor that one had to know he wasn't walking to see it. 

Ororo cast a look behind her and saw Black Thunder coming up on them, Philip still held at gunpoint before him like a shield even as he flew to catch up with her. She nodded at him and with a thought let the wind holding up BT's captive fade slowly. BT sank to the floor with him and they landed safely. Philip sensed an opportunity and made a motion as if to make a run for it but BT was on him at once, his gun pointing straight at him. With a sigh Philip stood still, forced to accept that he was still a prisoner. Black Thunder drew Philip with him into the shadows of the darkened hallway, finding it safer to stay out of the X-men's direct line of view until they were finished greeting Ororo, though he saw he had little reason for concern. All the caged X-men's eyes went to Ororo; shock but happiness painted on their faces as they all went to stand by the shield to be sure it was really her. 

"Ororo!" Jean said happily as she saw her friend, longing to hug her. Tears of happiness threatened to fall from her eyes; it was really her. 

"Stormy," Remy cried happily and only at the last moment he remembered the shield that separated him from the woman he cared so deeply for. 

"You're…alive," Scott commented unnecessarily, confused but clearly as happy as the rest. He had felt responsible for her sufferings and her death; seeing her now made him relieved beyond words though the guilt for her pain remained as he noticed scars on her body and saw her shortened hair.

"I am," Ororo said gently and smiled shortly at Scott as if she knew the guilt his burden of responsibility brought him. Then her eyes went to Remy and her look softened. "I'm sorry, my dear friend. I would have told you if I could."

"You're here now. That's all that matters," the young man answered with a smile, his voice warm and intense.

"John!" Cecilia yelled as she spotted her younger lover. She went to the fence beside Ororo and people made room so John could come forth. He smiled happily at her, longing to hold her in his arms again. 

"Cecilia. You alright?" he whispered and she nodded. 

"Alright, stand back," Black Thunder said, feeling suddenly left out and deserted by all these warm greetings. A brief second he wished he was back in his room with Ororo; at least then his place and everything around him had been known. From now on he was on very uncertain ground with no allies to back him up. Ignoring the more or less hated looks he got from the occupants of the cell he opened the force shield, hoping that if one of Ororo's friends should go for him she'll stand up for him. Though he had her support now, he wasn't sure he could count on if they did get out of here. He forced those thoughts from his mind for now; one thing at a time. First they needed to get out of here and it probably wouldn't be all that easy. 

Finally freed, Remy went into Ororo's arms just as John drew Cecilia into a warm embrace. Logan went to stand before Black Thunder, his eyes filled with anger. His look was drawn to the soldier Black Thunder held at gunpoint before him, his gun pressing towards the man's temple.

"What are you doing here and who the fuck is he?" Logan demanded to know as he pointed at the soldier.

"Your ticket out of here. Lean close," Black Thunder demanded, his voice harsh. Logan's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he was about to comment when Cecilia broke in.

"Will you just do it," Cecilia snapped impatiently as she drew back from John. She could understand his reluctance to trust Black Thunder but they didn't have time for this.

"Keep your cool, Doc'" Logan said irritated but leaned closer all the same. From what the others had told him she was a woman they could trust. BT pressed his gun hard against the man's forehead and with shaking fingers Philip touched Logan's collar and it fell to the floor.

"Finally. Let's kill these bastards!" Logan said satisfied as he made claws appear from his hands and eyed BT with a dangerous glance. BT returned his look unafraid but Philip who remained his shield made a fearful noise at seeing the large man's rage. 

"Logan," Ororo began but Scott interrupted her. 

"Logan, we don't have time for this," he yelled impatiently. Logan looked ready to snap at him but before he could say anything Scott continued. "You can always kill him later. Let's first get out of here." Xavier looked disapproving at him but didn't say anything. Logan withdrew his claws but waved a warning finger at BT.

"You just got lucky, bub."

"I make my own luck," BT replied calmly ad their eyes met and locked.

"Logan, guard the left side. We don't want soldiers to surprise us," Scott continued and broke off their staring match. Logan went to guard the left side of the group and Black Thunder dragged Philip with him to undo Scott's collar. 

"Wait. Do the others first. I don't have my glasses anymore," Scott asked of him and drew back. Black Thunder nodded and made Philip undo Jean's, then Rogue's, John's, Bobby's and then finally Jubilee's collars. All smiled happily as they got their powers back. Bobby made some ice appear in his hand just to be sure it was working and got to tease Jubilee a little by making it snow down on the small firework she had made appear in her hand. 

"Soldiers coming," Charles warned, a hand on his temple as he felt the approaching humans.

"From all sides," Jean added, having also taken a hand to her temple to better concentrate.

"Undo my collar," Scott asked urgently of BT. "Form a circle, stand together," he ordered and the X-men did as bid, Ororo making sure their strongest offence people were standing in the first line.

"There you are," Black Thunder said as Philip had undone his collar. Scott had closed his eyes tightly shut as he saw Philip reach out to touch him. Now the pain in his head intensified as his optic beams powered up. But he forgot all about the pain as his link with Jean came back full force and he could feel her love through their bond.

* Jean, be my eyes. Guide me, * Scott asked through their link.

* Always, love. Always* Jean replied gently as soldiers appeared. Their leader yelled a command and the soldiers attacked from a both sides. They had a wall behind them and their cell in front of them but soldiers began to fill the hallway and from left and right shooting began as at least 40 soldiers attacked from each side.

"John, stay with me," Cecilia asked and made a protective force shield around them. Cecelia handed John a lighter she had stolen and hidden in her pocket, hoping to be able to use it to bargain with the soldiers who gave food, medicine or other smaller things in return for whatever the prisoners might offer them. Now it came in good use as John began to throw fire after their attackers. Cecilia tried to expand the shield to include all the X-men but she couldn't. She had used so much power to make a shield earlier that there were only enough for her and John.

"Gabrielle, stand still. I'll not let them hurt you," Charles tried to calm the frightened woman as she wanted to flee. He let a telepathic shield appear around her to calm her down and hold her close. She finally relaxed, hiding her head against his shoulder and shutting out the world as she had before.

* Gabrielle, don't go too deep. I don't want to lose you* Xavier spoke in her mind, worry clear in his voice.

* When the bad men are gone, I'll be back. I love you, * Gabrielle's words formed in her mind and he picked them up easily.

"Rogue, stay back," Logan yelled as he placed himself before her, popping his claws. He was torn between wanting to stand as her shield as Peter did with Kitty or jump their attackers. 

"Go. Ah can take care of myself," Rogue said and Logan nodded, giving her clothed arm a gentle squeeze now that they had lost the opportunity of real touch, before jumping the guards. He fought wildly and used his claws to stab and slice his enemies to pieces.

"Now, Scott," Jean said as she was sure he was facing the right way and had a clear shot of their attackers. A beam of red energy left Scott's eyes, killing his opponents with a stare.

"Ororo, create a wind, knock them out," Black Thunder said and fired at their attackers with one hand, holding Philip before him as a shield with the other. The guards fired and Philip was hit again and again. Black Thunder let the dead man fall to the floor and drew his other gun and began to fire at them with both hands, killing a few. He swore as he took a hit in his left leg. He quickly glanced at it; it wasn't too bad but it hurt like hell. At times like this it would be nice to have some more active and useful mutant abilities, he thought darkly as he dodged a few bullets with his name on them. 

"Right," Ororo created winds and lighting, throwing it at their attackers. Together with many of the others she still couldn't bring herself to kill their opponents. Black Thunder, Remy, Scott and Logan didn't have that problem and killed as many guards as they could. Their anger and hate for these men were for different reasons, but the desire to kill ran deep in them all. 

Remy picked up small stones and gravel from the hallway, formed at ball in his hand, energized it and threw it at their attackers. His homemade bomb exploded on impact, killing any guard who was unfortunate enough to be standing to close to where he had aimed. Remy took his eyes off his opponents to check on his friends and saw that several of his friends had gotten hurt; Scott bled from a wound in the shoulder, Logan in the leg, Ororo had caught a close call to her temple, Black Thunder had been hurt in his right leg and as he looked he caught one in his shoulder as well. Bobby had pushed Jubilee out of the way and caught a bullet in his arm for his effect. 

There were still soldiers running to the sight of battle, outnumbering them horribly and almost as strongly as in New York. Remy saw a gun being raised at Rogue, who still stood in the middle between the others. Her power of absorption wasn't much good in a fight as she was as affected by it as the men she absorbed. Besides, Logan did his utmost to stop anyone from coming near her, slashing away at the guards. Though this time Logan hadn't seen the danger, as he was busy killing some other soldiers who had also been pointing their weapons towards her general area. Looking from the solider to Rogue, Remy threw one of his homemade bombs at the soldier and killed him but not before he had succeeded in firing his weapon. Without thinking of the consequences Remy ran to Rogue and pushed her out of the line of fire; his only thought that Rogue had to be safe.

" Noooooooooo," he yelled as he pushed Rogue away, knocking her to the floor. He felt a burning pain in his chest and as he fell to the floor as well. His breath came in pained grasps and with a shaking hand he touched his chest. It came away sticking with blood, making him fight tears. He couldn't be dying. He was too young to die. It's couldn't be happening. 

"Remy?" Scott asked concerned over the noise of battle, having heard his yell but couldn't see if he was alright. Through his bond with her, Jean had told him Remy had been hurt but the general confusing of the battle made her unable to say anything more. 

"Remy! You alright, child?" Ororo asked worried, having also heard his cry. She flew above Black Thunder, shooting lighting at their attackers and could only spare him a quick glance. He was on the floor but she couldn't see if he was hurt.

"I'm……fine," he rasped and closed his eyes. Caught up in severe battle Scott and Ororo took his word for the truth and returned all their attention to the fight at hand.

That had been a stupid thing to do, Remy thought as he grimaced in pain. He could feel his life leaving him, could feel himself grew weaker by the minute. 

"Remy??" Rogue asked softly and went to him and sat by him, careful not to touch him now that she had her powers back. Remy smiled strained at her, blood running from his mouth.

"Rogue…" He began pained, making more blood run out his mouth.

"Oh, God! You're wounded," Rogue said shocked and looked around for help but all the X–men were busy, fighting for their lives against the greater force. She looked helplessly at him; she couldn't even touch him. 

"Rogue……I want to….tell you something," he rasped and tears came to her eyes and ran freely down her cheeks. He had done this for her. He was dying for her.

"Why?" she whispered brokenly. Why do this for me? She couldn't understand it.

"Because…I love you. I always have," he admitted and choked up more blood. " Tell….Stormy…I love her. She was…my friend."

The words were simple enough but they felt her speechless. He loved her?! Why hadn't he said anything? Or maybe he had but she hadn't been listening. 

"You tell her that yourself. Remy, you will live. You got to love. Ah won't lose you," Rogue cried, having to fold her hands in her lap to keep from touching him.  
" Don't…don't lie to me now. I know I'm dying. Rogue…….tell me now….did I ever stand a chance? Did you ever love me?" his eyes held such love and such anguish that her heart broke. She wanted to lie for him, to say what he wanted to hear.

"Ah…….Ah love you," Rogue said tear filled and she saw in Remy's eyes that he knew it was a lie but now he didn't mind. He wanted to believe; needed to believe. He needed to believe that he was dying for something, wanted to believe it hadn't all been in vain. 

"Do something…..for…me?" he asked weakly as he was fading fast. Rogue had torn a piece of clothing off and was pressing on his wound with it but blood kept bobbling up.

"Anything," she vowed and prayed she could keep it.

"Kiss me," he asked softly, something he had wanted to ask her for years. It was such a small thing, such a simple request. Yet they both knew what that would mean. He saw the instant denial in her eyes. "Please, let me touch you……this one last time. Let me live…..in you." 

Tears ran freely down her cheeks now and blurred her vision and she sobbed. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, creating trails of his blood on her face. Then she bent over him.

"Ah love you, Remy," she whispered and this time he knew it was true. She'll always belong to Logan, she'll always love Logan but for this moment, this brief flicker of time, she was all his and he smiled. It had been worth it. It had all been worth it.

"I love you too. Remember me," he asked, a hint of desperation to his voice. His lips were inches from hers, so close he could feel her breath on his face.

"Always, lov'. Always," Rogue promised and placed her lips over his. Tears fell from her eyes as she let the kiss last forever. Images and memories invaded her brain. Feelings of love so strong it never broke even in death for her and for Ororo. Images of pain and loneliness from a hard childhood. She saw it all and felt it all. For a moment she was Remy and felt all he had felt, sensed all he had sensed. Finally she drew back from Remy's lips. Tears dripped from her cheeks onto his now still face. She withdrew her hands from his wound and closed his dead eyes, creating trails of blood down his face like tears. She let a finger softly brush his lips, which seemed to be curved by a smile. She stroked his cheek with her knuckles and whispered,

"I WILL remember. Always." 

A shot whistled over her head and she stood up, tears and fury in her eyes. They had done this. They had killed Remy! Without thinking she picked up some gravel, formed a ball, energized it and threw it at their opponents. It exploded on impact, killing or wounding several guards.

"We have to do something. We are losing," Cecilia yelled as more soldiers appeared.

"Attack!" they heard a voice say. A familiar voice. " Kill them all and take our brothers and sisters to the ship."

"Eric!" Charles said happily. He had come for him. His long time friend had searched for him until he had found him. It made him smile and feel warm inside to know Eric still cared that much. 

Suddenly the roof of the building was shot clean off by blasts that sounded very familiar to Scott. Could it be…? Had his brother made it and found them? Suddenly Scott wished more than ever that he had his glasses back. 

The falling debris from the roof was lifted up in the air and thrown aside by Lorna as it contained metal. The sudden turn of events had everyone holding their fire in surprise, shock and for some of the guards; also fear. 

*It's your brother, * Jean spoke in Scott's mind, confirming his suspicions. 

"Alex!" Scott cried in joy. His brother had come for them. He had made it. Scott felt proud and happy at the thought.

An older man appeared from the now open sky above them. He flew down towards them and with him was several other flying mutants. A young green haired woman held Alex in her magnetic field, making it appear as if he was flying. He spotted his brother and smiled as he waved at him, then stopped as he noticed his closed eyes. 

*Alex is waving at you. He's coming this way, * Jean spoke warmly through the bond, unable to contain her happiness. Scott smiled widely and waved in the direction of the sounds, assuming it was where Alex was coming from.

"Charles!" Eric cried as he saw him, relief and happiness clear in his voice. He quickly flew down to him and landed beside his old friend. Without hesitation the two men embraced. If any more words were spoken they were said in the minds or hearts of the two long time friends. 

"Scott!" Alex yelled happily, eager to go to him. Lorna landed with him next to him and Jean. When they had landed Alex looked a bit uncertain at Scott, not sure what to do now that he had finally after all this time found what he was looking for.

*He's standing right before you. Do something, * Jean urged her husband. Scott's smile didn't lessen; on the contrary, as he spread out his arms and Alex went into his older brother's embrace. Scott closed his arms around his brother in a warm and emotional hug; both too caught up in the moment and their feelings to say anything. Lorna and Jean smiled at each other as they looked at the men in their lives. Then they also embraced warmly.

"I hate to be the party pooper here, but can we get moving?" A young Chinese woman said as she landed beside her missing teammates. Some of the guards had fled in fear of so many free mutants, but some had stayed and seemed to come out of their shock. She let some of her psychic knifes fly at their opponents and let such a knife cut down a soldier which had his eyes set on Angel; making them fall to the floor dead. Alex drew back from his brother and all the other hugs and embraces were dissolved as well.

"Yes, Betsy. We have to leave. Now! They are calling in reinforcements," Alex explained to his brother as he looked questionably at him for his urgent tone. 

"Right. Let's go," Scott agreed, a hint of surprise at the sure command in Alex's voice. He really had grown to the challenge. Ororo turned around as most of the guards she had been keeping an eye on were either dead or wounded. She was about to get ready to fly off when her heart stopped a beat by the sight before her. 

"Remy! By the Goddess," Ororo's voice was devastated and tears ran down her cheeks as she saw Remy lying dead on the floor. She ran to him and cradled him in her arms, crying almost hysterically. She should have taken better care of him. It was all her fault. He shouldn't have died. He shouldn't have, was all she could think of.

"We don't have time for this," Emma said harshly as she landed beside her missing teammates and saw Ororo cradling Remy's dead body. She had liked Remy but it was better to lose one than all.

"All who can fly, take at least one person with you and fly to the ship; just fly in a straight line due North from here and you can't miss it. We sail when all are on board," Alex demanded, taking command as he had before, not noticing Scott's proud look as he heard his younger brother speak. 

His team nodded understanding and started to follow his orders. Angel flew down and took hold of Jubilee and flew away with her. Betsy picked up Bobby.

"See you at the ship," she yelled at the others as she flew off. 

"Ororo, we need to go," Black Thunder said as Jean flew with Scott, letting him fly by her power. He laid one hand on Ororo's shoulder, in the other holding his weapon ready should any guards appear. He understood her pain for the boy because he had lost many friends and comrades over the years but they didn't have time for grief; it would have to wait. 

"I can't leave him," she whispered brokenly. Not now, BT thought desperately. She needed to move or she'll be recaptured; they both would. Both of their survival depended on her and suddenly he realized just how much power he had given her over him without even knowing it. I must love her to be that stupid, he thought darkly, shifting between eyeing Ororo and the hallways.

Charles flew with Gabrielle by Eric's power who also took Cecilia with him. He stayed right next to Charles to make sure he wasn't hurt on the flight from the compound to the ship. Kurt appeared and took John with him and with a "boom" they were gone.

"Then we'll take him with us. We need to go, Wind Rider. Now!" BT's tone was urgent and as if to amplify his point shots whistled through the air as the promised reinforcements began to arrive. 

"This party is getting too hot even for me," Emma said as she killed a few guards. She noticed Rogue who kept shooting at the guards; her cheeks wet with tears and her eyes seemed empty and far away. "Time to go, sweetcheeks," Emma mumbled as she grabbed Rogue with her telekinesis and began to fly away with her. To her surprise Rogue began to say something to her in a harsh, sad voice in French. She didn't know Rogue knew French.

"I know," Ororo replied to BT's plea. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and tried to smile at him but failed.

"Come, love," Black Thunder urged and helped her to her feet before he lifted Remy up in his arms, his eyes fixed on her. Tears still in her eyes Ororo created a wind and they flew away. 

"Rogue?" Logan questioned as he spotted her being taken away by Emma.

"She's safe. Now come," Lorna urged and took Logan and Alex with her in magnetic field and flew towards the ship. They caught up with Ororo and BT and flew beside them. As they were on their way away Alex turned around and pointed his hands at the compound. 

"The western wing. It's the soldiers quarters and it'll destroy the force field to the other cells," Black Thunder yelled at him and Alex did so. Plasma blasts exited his hands and the western wing explored. When they were over the town Black Thunder could see mutants running from the compound, some even flying away. The mutants from the hospital who he had told how to undo the collars most have helped some of the others get their collars off or they had figured it out themselves.

"All here?" Alex asked as he as the last one landed on the deck with Lorna. Logan eyed Rogue who looked very sad and helpless. He hurried to her and hugged her.

"All counted for," Hank answered.

"Then let's leave this God forsaken place. Let's go home!" he ordered and Hank nodded. With Angel he started the ship and they sail away; finally on their way home. 

"What about the other mutant slaves?" Charles asked as they felt safer, having come some miles away from shore. He sat a little apart from the others with Gabrielle, she having come a little out of her withdrawal.

"We're only students, not Gods. The resistance was too great. But I'm sure we freed quite a lot. On our way to the compound we destroyed most of the town and while we attacked the compound in our search for you we also freed some mutants there," Angel said as Hank speeded up and they began to leave the island behind. 

All the wounded had been put on the deck and Cecilia was at work with Jean, taking out bullets and cleaning wounds. Many of the uninjured or lighter wounded helped the two doctors though not Ororo. She sat off to one side and rocked Remy's body in her arms, tears falling from her eyes. BT looked out of place and lost among the X-men who had known each other for so long. Now split in two groups; those who had been captured and those who had been rescuers BT realized he fitted into neither the captive nor rescuer category and wondered if there even was a place for him among these people. His eyes caught Cecilia's as she cleaned and bandaged his wounds and found understanding in them. She too felt out of place here, giving them a common bond. John seemed to notice the looks between them because he called Cecilia to him to aid him with a patient, giving BT a warning look over her head which he choose to ignore. He looked around to find Ororo and saw her sorrow as she held her friend in her embrace. He was among the lucky ones; he had survived. Anything else could wait; for now he would enjoy the moment and not wonder about all the things that could go wrong in the future. He was free! For the first time in many years he was truly free. He went over and stood beside Ororo, his joy at being free and alive overshadowing the sadness he felt for her loss. 

"It will be alright now," he tried to comfort but she didn't seem to register his words or his presence; her eyes remained fixed on Remy's face as tears fell from her eyes. Knowing there really was no comfort to offer the living who wished the impossible; to bring back the dead, he added the only thing he could think of that might cheer her up: "We are free. We are truly free." His voice was a whisper of wonder as he finally allowed himself to feel the miracle of it…free! 

She remained focused on her sorrow and BT found it best to let her have the time and space she needed to mourn. He laid a hand on her shoulder, giving her the only comfort he had left to offer. The world he was going to would be totally new to him and while he had guided her in his dark world he knew he would now need her guidance in her bright world. 

The ship sailed away from Genosha and towards the American coast. Towards a new life. A life in freedom. They were all going home.

TBC

Author's notes: Thanks so much to Cathain for great beta and for being a wonderful friend.


	31. Part 30: Saying Goodbye

Part 30:

"Dear friends, we are gathered here today to say the last farewell to a beloved friend, Remy LeBeau," Kurt began as they were all gathered around the grave they had made for their friend behind the mansion. They all knew Remy had been a faithful Catholic so they had requested his priest to bless the area so he would lay in consecrated soil for his final sleep. 

It was three days since they had escaped, three days since Remy's death. Those three days had been gloomy and dark, filled with suppressed emotions and tempers flying high. Scott had been very guilt ridden, Ororo trapped in her grief and everyone else overwhelmed by their own sadness and depression. Logan chose to express his anger in violence as he often did, resulting in many episodes, especially with BT who he had also ended up in a fight with. A fight he would have won if they hadn't been pulled apart. 

While Cecelia had been silently accepted into the group, and Gabrielle also, BT remained an outsider. Some avoided him, some only hinted their hate and distrust while Logan spoke of it quite clearly as did Emma, Eric and some of the others. Though Xavier and Scott had expressed thanks and acceptance and said BT could stay with them, only Ororo seemed to truly accept him. BT began more and more to consider leaving but, he had no means and nowhere to go. Besides he didn't want to leave without Ororo, and she wouldn't leave her friends. The last few days had been Hell on them all, but BT had felt like those first days in freedom had been worse than many months of slavery. Then he had known how to react, where his place was. Here he was among people who more or less disliked him with no rights or status. It was uncomfortable to say the least. Jean had sensed his distress and had told him that with time he'll find his place. Not so sure about that as she sounded he had thanked her none the less, making sure never to touch her in fear of how she or Scott would react to that and not wanting them to have more reasons than they already had to get rid of him. 

BT slept very little in those nights as did all the others, but while the others insomnia was due to Hellish nightmares of their captivity or the pain of losing their young their friend, BT worried for a knife in the back. The three days preceding the funeral had passed silently - yet loudly that way for them all, seemly all the same, going through daily chores in a state of shock and haze of sorrow and pain.   

It was early in the morning that they had all gone out to Remy's grave. The coffin had been lowered and the grave covered with soil in silence the evening before with only Scott, Xavier and Ororo there. The freshness of the grave alone was heartbreaking but the freshness in the air from the night's rain, the smell of wild flowers that grew around the grave combined with the first rays of the rising sun as it hit Remy's headstone was enough to make most of the gathered people get tears in their eyes. Though even standing around the grave the group stood divided; the rescuers stood around Alex and Lorna, as knights protecting a valued King, Xavier and Scott carried Alex's role around the former prisoners though some stood even further apart. Cecelia and John stood close to Xavier but still had some privacy; it was BT and Ororo who stood alone, between the two main groups, belonging to neither. Even in their grief Scott, Jean and Xavier seemed to notice and Jean tried to get Ororo to stand beside her, not missing her husband's worried thoughts that even though the X-men had finally been reassembled they could be forever divided. 

Everyone's attention was brought back to Kurt from whatever dark thoughts had occupied them. He began to preach, trying to offer a comfort that none of them felt. He urged them to keep having faith even though life had dealt them all some hard blows, but he could see he had lost some of them to bitterness over the pain and death that had dominated their life for what had felt like forever. Still, he kept his hopes up. He knew that he could reach many of them and he fought to do so; to give comfort to the disillusioned and grieving group. Ororo was crying softly, all dressed in black, Black Thunder's arm around her shoulder as they stood alone. Ororo was too caught up in her grief to care or much notice her separation from the others, only seeking what comfort she could. BT stood tall, meeting everyone's glances with a hard and calm look, his eyes dry but his face softened with compassion when he looked at the woman by his side, his arm around her strong and as protective as it was possessive; she was all he had left. 

Kitty had tears on her cheeks as she leaned against Peter, one hand holding his and the other lay on her growing stomach, finding hope in the depth of her sadness. The rest of the gathered people also wore sad faces, many of them crying and sought comfort in a lover's arms. For this day, Charles had invited Eric to share in the ceremony and he had come with Mystique. He now stood by Charles wheelchair, one hand on his old friend's shoulder, Mystique just behind him. Gabrielle stood on the other side of Charles and held his hand. 

"He was a great man. He saved ma life," Rogue whispered against Logan's chest and he tightened his arms around her, his lips softly touching the top of her hair to try and offer her support and comfort.

"He was the finest of us all. He was my friend and my brother," Ororo said softly, tears making her voice weak and almost inaudible. Though never hers by blood in any way, she had loved him so deeply he had become an inseparable part of her as if he had been. Though they weren't inseparable anymore.  The pain of that reality hurt her worse than any wound ever had. 

"He is at peace now. With God in a better place," Kurt said warmly, his hand with the Bible waving mildly at her as if he wanted her to start reading in it here and now. 

"He gave his life for what he believed in. What meant the most to him," Scott whispered sadly, guilt and pain clear in his voice. 'If only' and 'what if's had tormented him since Remy's death and he feared they always would. 

"The dream," Jean said softly and squeezed his hand, through their bond knowing his sadness. Scott shook his head.

"No. Love," he explained and silence fell over the grief stuck friends. For a moment it was as if they weren't sure how to end it, how to leave Remy's gravesite with any kind of closure. Then Ororo's voice was heard, broken and tear filled but she came through;

_Amazing grace! how sweet the sound  
That sav'd a wretch like me!  
I once was lost, but now am found,  
Was blind, but now I see.  
  
_

She sung quite well but tears mumbled her voice. It didn't ruin the effect she was trying to make though; on the contrary. BT didn't know the song but tried to mumble along with it as she started again. Scott's deep voice sang with her, clear and strong, knowing the song by heart;

_  
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,  
And grace my fears reliev'd;  
How precious did that grace appear,  
The hour I first believ'd!_

When they started at the next part, all sang with them, tears clear in the song but with such intensity, such need for relief as had never been heard before;_  
  
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,  
I have already come;  
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,  
And grace will lead me home.  
  
The Lord has promis'd good to me,  
His word my hope secures;  
He will my shield and portion be,  
As long as life endures.  
  
_

Many voices broke down and faded away, dissolved into tears that stole their breath as those who remained started again;  

_Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,  
And mortal life shall cease;  
I shall possess, within the veil,  
A life of joy and peace.  
  
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,  
The sun forbear to shine;  
But God, who call'd me here below,  
Will be forever mine. _

The song died out, leaving trails of tears on almost everyone's cheeks.  Silence settled again but some of the desperation in their pain had left with the song. Slowly Ororo went forth to stand before Remy's gravestone and read the inscription given him out loud:

"Here lies Remy "Gambit" LeBeau Monroe. 

Beloved brother, friend and team-mate.

He gave his life so others could live.

May he find eternal peace and joy in a better world far from here."

She smiled bittersweetly at seeing her name added to his; family in everything but blood and she was warmed to see her friends had acknowledged the deep bond she had shared with him. Black Thunder went to her as she kissed the small, simple, exotic and snow-white flower that she had brought with her. The most treasured flower in her greenhouse, she had cut it this morning to give it to her most treasured friend. Now she laid it on her friend's headstone, before turning to go, not having the strength to stay any longer. 

Having seen Ororo cut the flower and hearing she would give Remy something with him in death BT had wondered what he could and should do. As Remy had meant a lot to Ororo, he had decided to give the brave boy something as well. Without means all BT really owned was the clothes and weapons he had escaped with so he gave what he had that he could do without; a small skin bag he had made years ago. He laid it on Remy's headstone and whispered;

"For the bravest warrior," before returning to the mansion with Ororo. Logan went with Rogue up to stand at the foot of Remy's gravestone, at the spot Ororo and BT had just left. Rogue cried and laid a small red heart made from the same material as Scott's glasses on the soil below his headstone.

"So my heart will always be with you," she whispered and left. Logan didn't cry and only people who knew him well could tell about the sadness he carried with him. Not one for words, hints or games he bent down before the gravestone and popped his claws. Below the inscription, he carved only one word yet it said all. He wrote simply "Hero" before going away with Rogue. 

Betsy and Angel lay a big and very expensive bouquet of flowers before leaving for Angel's Manhattan apartment. Alex and Lorna lay a small medal of gold they had made for him on his headstone.

"For a friend," Alex whispered as they left. Charles came forth with Gabrielle on one side, Eric on the other and Mystique going a little off to one side of Eric. Charles placed a small miniature figure of the Mansion at his gravestone.

"So you'll always have a home," Charles whispered and left with Gabrielle. Magneto said softly;

"Your death will be avenged," before going after Charles with Mystique. Kurt went to Remy's gravestone, laid one hand on the Bible he held in the other and said solemnly;

"The Lord will be with you. Always. Rest in peace," before going away. 

Hank and Emma lay a nice bequest of flowers and left for the Mansion. 

Jubilee and Bobby placed an ice sculpture of Remy that Bobby had made and it stood inside a small cooled container so it wouldn't melt. Cecilia and John lay red roses,

"They reflect the love in your heart," Cecilia said before she took John's hand and they left together.  

Kitty and Peter went to his grave and lay a packet of playing cards. 

"We'll name our firstborn after you if it's a boy," Kitty promised and broke down crying.

"Come, Katya," Peter said gently and lead her away. 

Soon only Scott and Jean were left. They went to the stone and Jean laid their flowers before turning to her husband.

"You coming, love?" she asked gently.

"In a minute," he promised and she placed a soft kiss to his cheek before going to the Mansion. Scott stood before Remy's grave for a long while, fighting to keep tears at bay. He couldn't shake his guilt over Remy's death even though he knew it had been his choice to make. Thoughts and memories clouded his mind until finally after what felt like forever Scott lifted his glasses and opened his eyes. With careful precision he craved words into the headstone. Scott let a hand run over the stone as he left. He looked back once to look at the inscription at the stone they had all made for their beloved fallen comrade who had paid for their freedom with the ultimate price;

"Here lies Remy "Gambit" LeBeau Monroe. 

 Beloved brother, friend and team-mate.

 He gave his life so others could live.

 May he find eternal peace and joy in a better world far from here. 

                                                       _Hero_

Adieu, mon ami bien-aimé. Ta lumière s'est éteinte beaucoup plus tôt que ne le fera jamais ta légende"

Scott's message was the last and craved with care and love. As he left the graveside it began to rain like Heaven itself was in mourning.

TBC

Scott's message for Remy was written in French. It translates into: " Farewell, beloved friend. Your light burned out far sooner than your legend ever will" 

Author's notes: See the beginning of this story for disclaimer; also on this song, which is "Amazing Grace" by John Newton. Thanks to Estelle for help with the French. Thanks so much to Cathain for great beta! You're the greatest!


	32. Part 31: How To Move On

Part 31: Epilogue:

Ororo walked over the grass, still wet from the morning's rain, a precious and beloved flower in her hand. She walked alone to the end of the garden of the mansion where Remy was buried, the precious flower cut off to, for a few days, grace his final resting place. 

It had been several months since his death yet the pain in her heart hadn't seemed to lessen much. At first most of them had visited Remy's grave often, but now only she came every day. Some laid flowers to him once a month, or went to his grave from time to time, but most of them felt that coming too often would deny them closure and the opportunity to move on. Next to her Scott, Xavier, Jean and Rogue were the most frequent visitors.

Ororo seated herself on the beautifully craved granite bench they had placed next to Remy's gravestone. She looked at his grave for a little while before she went to it and laid her flower, a white rose, on his grave and sat back down again. The grave was covered with flowers and the gifts they had laid for him. Rain had marked the gravestone and time had seemed to heal the grave, giving it the look of age. The reminder that he had been gone for a long time now only increased the pain in her heart. She looked around, at the trees and flowers, at the sky and back at the mansion. Then she turned her head back to him.

" It is a lovely morning today. The sun will shine," her voice was soft and hide barely controlled tears. She looked at the flowers on Remy's grave and let a hand touch them gently before continuing.

"As I told you Kitty and Peter married at City Hall two months ago and Kitty gave birth to a beautiful boy soon thereafter. Yesterday she and Peter had him baptised…twice," her eyes sparkled at this, knowing Remy would have found that funny. "First in the Russian Orthodox church which Peter belongs to, and then in the synagogue Kitty belongs to. It all went very well," she fell silent as she recalled how empty it had seemed without Remy there to light up the room. "They named him Remy Michael Nicholas Rasputin….just like they promised," she added to try and drive her dark thoughts away and smiled at him. 

"You'll like him. He is so full of life…….like you," Ororo's voice threatened to break down and tears fell from her eyes. Why had he had to die? He hadn't deserved that. He was…had been so young. He had had his entire life in front of him. She wiped her tears away.

" Sorry, child. Where was I? Oh, yes. As I told you Scott and Jean married a while ago. They have grown closer. I think Jean is slowly getting better. I talk a lot with her. About what happened. About the rapes. It helps us both," she let a wind appear and let colourful leaves dance around the headstone in a ring to try and distract her from the pain those memories brought her. She searched her mind for something fun and light to tell him as she let the wind die again. Remy had always enjoyed funny and romantic stories so she tried to find such a story to tell him. 

"After Scott and Jean married Bobby and Jubilee moved in together, but they have had very big fights. I think they still have a long way to go before they have proceeded what happened at Genosha."  As do we all, she added silently but then hurried on to the more fun episodes which had been a result of this. "Remember the whole ice in the bed thing I told you about?" Ororo's smile died as silence was her only answer. "Oh, well…" she hurried on. "Last night Jubilee shot after Bobby with her firework mutation during an argument but accidentally hit the wall to Peter and Kitty's room. She made a hole in the wall and they...well, they were having a tender moment," she smiled at the memory. " Peter wasn't happy at all. Especially as little Remy woke up and he and Kitty had just spent hours trying to get him to sleep," The sun rose and its rays hit the gravestone, making it shine with an almost heavenly light. For a while Ororo sat in silence, admiring the heartbreaking beauty of his grave.

" Gabrielle is getting better. I think," Ororo said thoughtfully. "She has never spoken a word and probably never will. She uses signs with Charles and us now which is an improvement for before then she only spoke with Charles. He says they also speak in their minds like Jean and Scott, with him doing all the work of course. That's nice," she frowned as she went on. "She's still afraid of Black Thunder though. Can't be in the same room as him so they try to avoid each other. Xavier doesn't care much for him either, and never will I fear. Though he's always coldly polite towards him," worry lines were in her face. Things hadn't been easy since they had returned home. BT was still not accepted by most of the others, creating fights, arguments and everything in between. Not only between BT and the others, but also between her and BT when his frustration and helplessness exploded. She had few supporters on her relationship with him; many thought it was because she needed a support in this hard time and that she had grown unnaturally attached to him, as he had been the one to rescue her. Even Xavier had warned her about it, saying she did possess some Stockholm like symptoms. It hadn't helped her in her grief and pain to also be confused about her feelings; wondering if they were real or not. However, time had made it a little better. As the others slowly began to heal, their distrust and hate grew more silent. The world didn't stop because they had been through Hell and so they had fallen into an almost normal everyday life; the normality of it all having annoyed Ororo, Jean and some of the others…it was as if their ordeal had never happened.    

" Her reaction is quite understandable, of course," she admitted, knowing what BT had done to her. Still, it hadn't been him…not the man she loved. Yes, she did love him. In the confusion and pain in her mind she needed that, needed love and the assurance that it really was love she was feeling. After some minutes of dark thoughts on the authenticity of her own feelings and memories of her days as a slave she then smiled brilliantly at Remy, or rather the headstone. 

" Black Thunder proposed. We have set the date for next Wednesday," it would be nice to be married, to feel something was safe and normal and simply always there. "I would have liked you be have been there," she admitted, her smile fading. Her inability to let Remy go had also put a strain on her relationship with BT but he had been patient and tried to help, giving her the space she needed. She had come to the conclusion that even if what she felt wasn't true and undying love then it was something that helped her remain calm and sane in a world which had suddenly crashed down upon her and as such something she didn't want to left go of. "We'll have two ceremonies. First a Native one and then one for me, receiving the Goddess' blessing," she continued, imagining the ceremonies done in a beautifully decorated flowery garden as they had agreed on. She sat in silence for a while, wrapped in her happiness over this event and how she imagined it would be. Only one large dark cloud loomed; Remy wouldn't be there.

"John and Cecilia will marry this spring," she told him, trying to drive away the returning dark clouds. Since Remy's death her fight against her own darkness had been one of her hardest battles. "She is pregnant and they want to marry before the baby is born. Cecilia says it'll be a girl," Ororo smiled at that; she had always loved children. Maybe BT would grant her children one day; he had said he would love to and that having her own child might help her fight her sadness in the light of the love for a child. "They will move out of the Mansion. Cecilia has gotten a good job in Washington. I fear we will not see them so much but they will try and make it for the holidays although with Cecilia being a Doctor and all it is not certain she'll be able to make it," Ororo was glad for them but sad to see them leave. She hadn't been sure their relationship would last out in the real world. As captors, they had taken whatever happiness they could get and no one had judged them. Out here the world would condemn their relationship on account of the large age difference between them. They had had many bumps in their relationship; Cecilia had felt guilty, John had felt inadequate and their frustrations, fears and doubts had fuelled large arguments. In the end though they had realised what they had was a true thing, something they didn't want to lose. Even knowing it wouldn't be an easy ride they had sworn never to be torn apart again. 

" Things are slowly returning to normal. Well, a new kind of normal. Eric comes often to visit Charles. I doubt we'll fight him again. He and Charles have reached an agreement. Charles will look the other way when Eric goes after anti-mutant fanatics, and Eric will not kill innocents," strange how used they had all gotten to Eric's presence. Since Xavier's return the older man had also seemed milder, more aware that he could lose his beloved friend and so their arguments almost always ended in compromises. "Scott is learning how to get by with only one eye and seems to be slowly working through his torture. He has put much of his energy into helping torture victims and has spoken up for an official involvement from the Government against Genosha. He has even mentioned the idea for going into politics, saying that is the way to really change things for the better," she smiled at that. One had to admire his strength and determination though she also knew and thought he did too that his almost fanatic interest in his work, to help others like him and end the terror reign on Genosha was his way of dealing with it all. "He and Logan have grown much closer, almost like brothers, as if a special bond have connected them to each other through their shared ordeal," she grew thoughtful. "I think they may discuss the things that happened at Genosha with each other." She was happy at the thought that her friends could find some sense of peace together as they hadn't discussed it with any one else. Maybe because of that the group of X-men still remained torn; those who had been left behind turned to Alex for advice and leadership while the former slaves still looked to Scott. There was an understanding of each other's pain, a great respect and love through shared experiences that only existed within the groups. In their pain many of the X-men who had been captured had had a hard time offering support to the ones who had been left behind. Though they hadn't been slaves they had been through an emotional Hell, which was just as hard for them to work through. Maybe in time when their wounds weren't so fresh the group would grew back into one but for now it was and remained split, one lead by Alex and the other by his brother with the council of Xavier and with Logan as his right hand man. Both groups stood strong and dealt with things their own way. There was only love between the groups but a great lack of understanding and ability to open up about their pains and fears kept them apart all the same. Ororo hoped that in the future when time had healed them better they could close that gap between them again. For now though it was okay as it was; they were safe and they were all okay…all save Remy. 

"You probably want to hear about Rogue. She's doing fine," Ororo quickly assured him as if to calm him. "As I told you, she and Logan now live together but Rogue will not marry yet. She'll search for a cure against her mutation first, saying it's not fair for Logan to marry a woman he can never touch," Ororo's voice became sad. " I fear she'll never find it." Rogue's pain over her own mutation had grown since she had returned. In Genosha she had felt what it was like to touch, truly touch, been reminded of it, been given hope…and then to have it taken so brutally away. Besides a cure, they had all also tried to get their hands on a Genoshian collar so she could touch people when wearing it as it neutralized her powers, but so far they hadn't gotten one. Gonosha was a closed land so nothing came in or out. Everyone, especially Logan, had been sad and unhappy that in their eagerness to escape none of them had thought of bringing a collar back with them for Rogue. Still…she had a bad feeling that Logan could talk Scott into doing something drastic for love…she just hoped it wasn't what she feared. 

She shook her fears off her and looked at the headstone, letting her fingers caress his name on it.

"She still has your powers. The professor says she has gotten them permanently. I kind of like it. It is like you never really left. You're still here. With me. In some way," her voice was warm but sad. Not only sad over the loss of Remy and the bittersweet reminder Rogue now was to them all but also because the fact that Rogue had Remy's powers was something Logan had had a hard time dealing with. Knowing of Remy's love for Rogue and then added that she refused his marriage proposal even though he knew she did it out of love for him…Logan still had a hard time adjusting to it all, by nature being as protective as he was possessive.   

Ororo sat in silence by Remy's grave until she heard Jean's mental call to please come for breakfast. She stood and kneeled by the headstone.

"I still miss you every day, my beloved friend. I will always love you. I pray you remember that where ever you are," with tears glimmering in her eyes, she kissed the headstone gently and walked away. 

The wind blew softly over the land as Ororo walked over the grass towards the mansion. Black Thunder met her half way and took her in his arms, kissing her softly on the lips before taking her hand and they walked towards the Mansion in silence, him respecting her need to settle down a little after her morning talk with Remy. 

Ororo looked around and up at the sky, seeing the sun beginning to rise and bathe everything in a warm light. It was going to be a beautiful day. A day to try and heal wounds and start over. A day to honour the dead and try to move on. A day to cry and a day to love. This was the day. And the most wonderful thing was…….it was another day…in freedom!

The End

Author's notes: Wow. What a ride. This has been my longest ongoing fic ever. I started it sometime back in 2001 I believe so it has been a part of my life for quite some time. Now that it's done…it's a bit strange to think about. 

Okay, enough reflecting. I have a long list of people to thank here: Sorcieré for simply being my angel and for being so into this fic she wrote a chapter for it, the wonderful people over at DDFH who have always treated me kindly, all the great people who kindly gave me FB and reviews; that means so much to me. Thanks to my different betas who have worked with this and helped improve my writing. Special thanks to Cathain for great beta on this and earlier parts.

Many thanks to Marianne for inspiring me to write this, encouraging me to continue it and for the read through and kind suggestions. 

Thank you all so much. I couldn't have done it without you!

Someone asked about a sequel to this…Well, I don't have one under way but if people seem interested and/or inspire me I can't deny it could happen.

I hope you've all enjoyed the story and have had some nice reading hours with it.

Take care

Love

Nadja 


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